The future of Brighton's historic West Pier will be decided today when Brighton and Hove City Council decides whether to approve controversial restoration plans.

The council's planning committee has to make a decision on £30m plans put forward by developers St Modwen and the West Pier Trust.

They involve restoring the Grade I listed pier and putting large shoreline pavilions on either side to make the project viable.

There have been thousands of objections to the new buildings headed by Save Our Seafront, an umbrella organisation formed to co-ordinate opposition.

However, St Modwen and the trust say most people who saw plans and a model of the scheme were in favour of it.

The scheme has been changed considerably since first being submitted last April to take note of some objections but many people still say it is too big.

National Lottery cash of up to £14 million is available for a successful restoration.

This is being challenged in the European Court by owners of the rival Palace Pier, which claims it would be unfair competition.

Trust chief executive Dr Geoff Lockwood says today is the last chance to save the pier, which suffered serious collapses in December last year and in January.

Save Our Seafront is backing an alternative scheme for the pier submitted by Birch Restorations, which has a small shoreline development.

The committee meets at Hove Town Hall at 1pm and the debate is expected to take up to two hours. There will be a 30-minute session when supporters and opponents of the project will be able to have their say.

English Heritage, the Government's conservation watchdog, has come out in favour of the scheme with reservations.

Planning officer Hamish Walke is recommending approval, subject to conditions and a legal agreement.

As the long and fraught history of the pier proves, there is a big gap between getting approval and seeing work start on restoration.