The boss of the campaign to save Brighton's West Pier has launched an attack on the rival Palace Pier, the Government and "professional arsonists" for ensuring it could not be rebuilt.

Geoff Lockwood, chief executive of Brighton West Pier Trust, said the Grade I listed structure could have been saved if the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) had not been so scared of the Noble Organisation, the owner of the Palace Pier.

The Noble Organisation, which bought the Palace Pier 20 years ago, has pursued a series of legal challenges to the proposed restoration of the West Pier.

Mr Lockwood claims Noble deliberately ruined the trust's plans to rebuild the West Pier - an accusation that Noble denies.

The trust also said it was about to announce new plans for the pier site, probably based around a heritage centre celebrating its history.

But it has conceded defeat in the battle to restore the historic pier to its former glory.

Writing in the trust's end-of-year report, The Ravages of Wind and Fire, Mr Lockwood said: "The two professional arson attacks not only damaged the historic structure but undermined public confidence in our ability to restore the pier.

"The firefighters I was with in the burning structures had no doubt that the fires had been professionally planned, combustible timers placed at night and approached from the sea."

The Heritage Lottery Fund pulled the plug on the £15 million West Pier renovation in 2004.

Mr Lockwood said: "I am convinced the HLF's fear of the Noble Organisation's determination was a crucial factor in its decision to renege on its £15 million contribution "I recognise there must have been an element of HLF officers simply becoming fed up with the pressures and problems of the West Pier after eight years, including the constant flow of memos from the trust.

"My perspective is it was the HLF itself that misused those eight years and over-complicated what should have been a simple project."

Mr Lockwood says a heritage centre should be built on the site and that some of the "spirit of the West Pier" should be retained.

The trust says it will announce plans for the pier in early 2006.

Mr Lockwood said: "Although the hopes for the restoration have gone, I am determined that whatever happens on the site should preserve the spirit of the old West Pier.

"It should preserve some of the 'old lady'.

"It should include a heritage centre on her history and whatever the new elements, they should be, in the 21st Century, as outstanding architecturally and technologically as she had been in 1866.

"Further, if at all possible, the new development should leave open the ability to reconstruct the old West Pier in the long-term."

"We hope to be able to announce our proposals not long into the New Year and they are in the spirit of the old West Pier and its iconic importance to Brighton and Hove."

Ann Grainger, from the Noble Organisation, said: "It has never been Noble's intention to disrupt the West Pier trust in any way.

"In fact, we would like to see it rebuilt because it is good for tourism and it is good for Brighton.

"We did object to Lottery money being used to restore the West Pier but that was the only point we have objected on."

The Heritage Lottery Fund was unable to comment on the report.