The fate of a major tourist attraction will be decided this month.

David Marks, boss at the developer behind plans for the i360 tower on Brighton seafront, will appear at Brighton and Hove City Council’s Economic Development and Culture Committee of September 19.

The £38 million viewing tower has been dubbed a potential ‘tourism magnet’ and is expected to attract up to 800,000 visitors a year and create more than 500 jobs.

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In May last year, Brighton and Hove City Council offered to lend £14 million and the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise partnership agreed to a further £3 million to kick-start the project.

But Marks Barfield has so far failed to attract the rest of the money needed to build the giant tower.

Former leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Mary Mears, said she will attend the meeting and hopes to hear funding for the project has been secured.

But last night David Marks was unable to tell The Argus that he would assure councillors that his firm has been able to plug the funding gap.

He said: “I will attend the committee meeting and I will give an update when I am able to.”

Mary Mears said: “I hope Marks Barfield will be able to tell us the funding is in place. If it has not then I don’t know where this leaves the council. I don’t think the project will be able to go ahead.”

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware there has been some slippage in timescales but we remain confident of Marks Barfield achieving its objective of delivering the i360 and we understand it is working hard to resolve the outstanding issues. We are aware there is a gap in funding, but we remain confident Marks Barfield will achieve this soon.”