Old sewer makes way as i360 gets thumbs up

The Argus Saturday, 27 October, 2007

WORK on the futuristic Brighton Eye observation tower is expected to begin in the New Year.

The team behind the i360 project announced last night that the site, at the shore end of the derelict West Pier, has been given the thumbs up by structural engineers.

Work on the foundations is expected to start within weeks.

Dr John Roberts, the i360's chief engineer, said: "Our site investigations have gone extremely well. We bored into the ground and have found that there's good quality rock.

"One challenge we have encountered is that Brighton and Hove's main sewer is running directly beneath the site. It's a Victorian brickwork sewer, large enough to stand up in and walk along.

"It will be a large operation to move it, but we have now gained permission from Southern Water to divert it and that will be the first thing we'll do before starting to build the foundations."

The team expects to start construction in spring 2008 and the tower to open in early 2010.