Eastbourne Pier 'viability in doubt' amid planning row

Eastbourne Pier's future is uncertain after planning consent was refused for children's rides on it this summer, the owners have said.

While borough councillors were advised in a report to back plans for temporary rides and stalls, they rejected them.

General manager Christos Stylianou said owners Cuerden Leisure had invested £4m into the pier after it was hit by fire and now could not recoup the funds.

A council spokesman said all applications were considered on merit.

Mr Stylianou said the Cuerden Leisure felt "completely let down" by the local authority, which had been eager for the company to rebuild the pier as quickly as possible.

He feared visitor numbers would fall and that the shops, who were affected by the fire, would once again suffer.

Papers, external submitted to the council's planning meeting, external said the proposal was not suitable in the long term because the principle, mass, scale and design of the plans were uncharacteristic to Grade II* listed Eastbourne Pier.

A report said: "Such harm would not be considered acceptable as a permanent fixture nor will it outweigh the need for a new building."

But it advised the plans be approved on a temporary basis, limited to 18 months.

The authority spokesman said it was the planning committee's responsibility to consider all applications on their merit.

"This is a statutory function independent of other concerns. It is therefore not appropriate for the council to comment directly on the decision by the planning committee to refuse the application" he said.

Part of the pier reopened last September after the first stage of reconstruction work was completed. One third of the structure was destroyed in a blaze last July.