A last-ditch attempt to save what remains of Brighton’s historic West Pier will be made next week.
Jon Orrell, a Hove-based engineer, has invited interested parties to thrash out a solution at a meeting in his offices next Tuesday.
A source who has been involved with several sets of redevelopment plans said: “This really is the last chance to save the pier.”
The grade I-listed structure appeared doomed in August after English Heritage said that it would not recommend that public money be spent on developer St Modwen’s redevelopment. This meant lottery money would not be used to plug a £19m funding gap.
Storms in June were thought to have put the badly damaged pier beyond repair.
At the meeting will be local builder John Regan and his business partner Chris Eubank, former WBO super middleweight boxing champion.
Regan and Eubank have adapted redevelopment plans for the pier, which include salvaging the sea end, which was damaged by two arson attacks in recent years.
The £23m proposal has provisional backing from property group Marylebone Warwick Balfour, but can only go ahead if a £10m funding gap is met by public money.
The meeting will also include local councillors, the West Pier Trust and members of English Heritage.
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