Brighton and Hove City Council has approved in principle controversial plans to restore the city's historic West Pier.

Councillors on the planning committee gave the go-ahead by a majority 9-2 decision after a two hour debate this afternoon.

Work could now begin early next year once the Brighton West Pier Trust and developer St Modwen have agreed on a contractor to carry out the pier restoration.

The controversial shoreline development, which is needed to make the project viable, will not begin until restoration of the pier commences.

Save Our Seafront (SOS), an umbrella organisation formed to co-ordinate opposition from the thousands of objectors to St Modwen's plans, says it will press for a public inquiry into the plans.

Although the approved scheme has changed considerably since first being submitted last April to take note of some objections, many people still say it is too big.

SOS says it will continue its fight for an alternative scheme submitted by Birch Restorations, which has a smaller shoreline development.

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

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

If work does get underway early next year, the project could be completed by autumn 2005.

Meanwhile, contractors have been invited to bid for the contract to restore the pier.

An advertisement for the £33 million project to overhaul the Grade I listed pier has been placed in the Official Journal, daily publication of all public sector contracts worth more than £5 million in the European Union.

Companies expressing an interest in taking on the project must send their applications to the pier's owners and St Modwen by March 31.

Four firms will be asked to price the project with the winner starting on site in spring next year.