Hastings Pier could be handed over to a charity as early as the end of the year.

Only one letter of objection to the compulsory purchase of the pier was sent to Hastings Borough Council.

Panamanian owner Ravenclaw was issued with the order after it missed a deadline to start repairs.

The Victorian grade II listed pier was destroyed in a suspected arson attack in October 2010.

The local authority has made numerous requests to the company to restore the Victorian structure but it has not responded.

Yesterday (May 9) the council said it was confident the one objection letter will not hinder the process of buying the pier.

The Government will now decide whether a public inquiry is needed on the purchase.

Councillor Peter Chowney, lead member for regeneration, said: “While I’m not able, legally, to disclose details of who has objected I can say it’s not someone from Hastings and more significantly it’s not the current owner of the pier.

"Even if we do have to have a public inquiry, I am confident that this will only delay the inevitable conclusion.

"We are still very much working towards handing the pier over to the Hastings Pier Charity.”

Simon Opie, chairman of the Hastings Pier and White Rock, which administers the Hastings Pier Charity, said: “We are making tremendous progress with the compulsory purchase order and there is a very real chance we will own the pier by the end of 2012.”