BUILDING on the world’s first "vertical cable car" observation tower has moved above ground.

Brighton’s i360 reached a major turning point when a 25m high pile rig arrived on site at the old entrance of the Grade I-listed West Pier last week.

The i360, designed by the architects behind the London Eye will be the highest observation tower in the UK outside of London.

The 52-tonne rig will be used to put 10 to 20m long piles in the beach, which attach to each other to make a wall, holding back the shingle to make space for the 1,728sqm concrete foundation and 170 tonnes of reinforcing steel, which will secure the viewing tower in place.

The pod, which will be 18m in diameter and hold up to 200 people at a time, will provide a 360-degree view through curved glass and travel upwards from street level to 138m above sea level before descending.

Eleanor Harris, chief executive officer of the Brighton i360, said: “This year is all about moving from works in the ground to reaching up to the sky - all our activity will now be visible.

"First this 25-metre piling rig, next to a 100-metre crane which will be used to lift the pieces of steel from the boats to our site, and then a 60m high jacking rig that will be used to build the 162m tower this summer.”

The visitor centre will include a 400-seater restaurant, a shop, a children's play area, an exhibition space, tea rooms and conference and event facilities. It is estimated the tower will generate more than 440 permanent jobs.

The total project cost is £46.2 million, including interest, with the architects are investing £6 million.

Pod components for tower fitting are on the move from the Poma factory in Grenoble, France, to main contractor Hollandia's yard in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Hollandia built the London Eye structure and will be responsible for constructing the steel tower, which will be jacked up in sections.

Building work will start on the tower in June when steel cans will be delivered directly to the beach on barges from the Netherlands.

Once open, the attraction is expected to draw in an additional 700,000 tourists and up to £25 million of revenue into Brighton's economy annually, according to Brighton and Hove City Council.