There was great controversy in Brighton when plans to restore the West Pier involved building large shoreline leisure buildings to help make the project viable.

After a long public debate, the scheme by developers St Modwen and the Brighton West Pier Trust was approved by Brighton and Hove city councillors.

That should have been the end of the debate and the start of restoration. But the Noble Organisation, owners of the Palace (or Brighton) Pier, thinks otherwise.

It is putting every obstacle in the way of the restoration at enormous cost to itself and all the other parties involved.

Noble is taking the decision to award National Lottery cash for the project to the European Court and seeking a judicial review of a decision by the Government not to hold a public inquiry.

It has asked English Heritage to reconsider support for the scheme and objecting to the harbour revision order needed before work can go ahead. Noble claims the pier restoration project will be unfair competition, unviable and a blot on the Brighton landscape.

The pier has had enough disasters, including two fires and two collapses, without having to face a series of legal challenges. Noble should leave it alone and see what happens. If restoration is not viable, it will never happen.

If it goes ahead, it might have the effect of bringing more people to Brighton, many of whom will visit the Palace Pier as well.