Owners of the Palace Pier in Brighton are sceptical about plans to build a back-to-basics version of the battered West Pier.

The Noble Organisation was among the strongest opponents of proposals for a rebuilt West Pier and a large leisure complex on the shore.

After the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) withdrew its promised £14.2 million funding for the scheme last month, English Heritage proposed a more basic scheme to save the West Pier.

That would involve recreating designer Eugenius Birch's original 1866 "promenade pier", without the pavilion and concert hall which were later added.

Supporters hoped this would be more acceptable to Noble, which believed the larger development would be unfair competition to the Palace Pier.

However, Noble director David Biesterfield said: "We need to look at these proposals very carefully.

"As we've always made plain, we support the idea of the West Pier being rebuilt in some form but we need more details on these latest proposals.

"It is a surprising development in as much as English Heritage is an advisory body and I'm not quite sure how it sees this proceeding."

He was doubtful about suggestions English Heritage could keep the pier viable by charging people to walk along the promenade. The West Pier Trust is still hoping to go ahead with the scheme it drew up with developers St Modwen, which the HLF decided last month was not viable.

Demolishing the West Pier would cost about £2.5 million, according to latest estimates.

Building contractors Depret worked out the cost of dismantling or demolishing the derelict pier, which is a Grade 1 listed building.

Dr Geoff Lockwood, chief executive of the Brighton West Pier Trust, said: "No source could afford such a sum except as part of the repair and reconstruction of the pier or a major commercial redevelopment of the site."

The trust has suggested a round table meeting with all the partners to work out the way ahead.

Thursday February 12, 2004