A £30 million plan to restore Brighton's crumbling West Pier has been branded "spivvy and cheap".

Opposition is growing to the huge development, which includes bars, restaurants and shops.

On Monday we revealed plans by St Modwen, private sector partners of the Brighton West Pier Trust, for a development either side of the listed building.

It will be needed to help make the restored pier viable but will require planning permission from Brighton and Hove City Council.

Selma Montford, secretary of the Brighton Society, said: "I was not impressed. It looks slightly spivvy. It resembles a cheap, temporary exhibition building, rather reminiscent of the Festival of Britain."

Mrs Montford said she had no objection to a building but favoured something very restrained but modern.

She added: "A lot of people are saying this building would be a storey too high.

"There would also be a lot of eating and drinking places. I can't see how they are going to fill them. The Aquarium Terraces haven't been entirely let yet and they are in a better position."

Paul Elgood, leader of the council's Lib Dem group, said: "I support and love the West Pier and want more than anything to see it restored and returned to the city. But this should not be done at any cost."

The West Pier Trust said it welcomed comments on the ideas, drawn up by St Modwen and architects KSS.

From tomorrow they will be on the web at www.westpier.co.uk But chief executive Geoff Lockwood warned that the entire restoration project was dependent on an acceptable shoreline development scheme.

He said the company was committed to restoring the pier itself to its Twenties prime.