Brighton Pier tourist development - commercial mortgages

13 October 2006

Brighton is to become the home of a new landmark that could benefit local business, including those owned by people with commercial mortgages.

The Brighton i360 observation tower, designed by David Marks and Julia Barfield who were responsible for the London Eye, has been approved by Brighton and Hove Council.

Following two devastating arson attacks on the city's Victorian West Pier in 2003, the Brighton West Pier Trust hopes the new proposals will lead to the regenerate the area and the development of a "horizontal pier".

Chairman of the trust, Glynn Jones, comments: "We believe that the Brighton i360 – a 'vertical pier' – is entirely in the spirit of the pier's history."

The developers predict that the new 183 metre tower, which will be taller than the London Eye, will bring an additional 600,000 visitors to the city annually, boost revenues from tourism by £10 million and provide a "catalyst for regeneration".

According to 24dash.com, the London Eye is now Britain's most popular paid-for tourist attraction, with 22 million visitors each year.