Plans to transform the historic Brighton West Pier into a spa have been announced, involving a joint venture by two architect firms.

The plans to restore Brighton’s West Pier, produced by Brighton-based Lomax Cassidy & Edwards and Bennetts Associates, of London, include a specialist spa and conference centre.

The spa facilities would include an indoor heated seawater swimming pool, thermal pools, a cold pool, whirlpools saunas and a steam grotto.

Treatments would include thalassotherapy, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, and mud treatments. A wide range of sport facilities would also be included.

Situated at the end of the pier, the spa would also have full restaurant facilities as the architects aims to establish a high quality indoor/outdoor attraction which will serve a leisure draw at a national and international level.

Brighton attracts around eight million visitors a year, with the Brighton’s other pier, the Palace Pier, being among the top five leisure attractions in the UK with over five million visits annually.

During spring 2001, Lawyers for the Noble Organisation – the owner of Palace Pier – began a legal challenge to overturn the Heritage Lottery Fund’s decision to assist the restoration of the West Pier.