Brighton i360
Information about the planning process and funding of the Brighton i360.
The 162-metre viewing tower was built by the team that created the London Eye, the most visited paid-for attraction in the UK. It was opened in August 2016.
Planning for the i360
Plans for a major development on land next to Brighton’s West Pier were submitted to the council on 17 July 2006. Additional information was submitted on 8 September 2006.
Planning permission and Listed Building Consent for both applications was granted at the Planning Applications Sub-Committee on 11 October 2006, subject to approval by the Government Office for the South East.
All of the plans, drawings and other supporting documents, including the additional information submitted, can be accessed on our planning register. Go to application numbers BH2006/02369 and BH2006/02372.
The planning officer made a report to the Planning Applications sub-committee. Download our planning officer's report.
Further documentation can also be found on the 6 March 2014 Policy and Resources Committee meeting page.
Investing in seafront improvements
Work on the seafront at either side of the i360 was completed to complement the new attraction. This included:
- refurbished arches to house new shops and food outlets
- flexible outdoor public spaces
- restored columns from the West Pier
Funding the i360
To support the building of the i360, councillors agreed to take out a government loan and pass it on to developers. The loan was from the Public Works Loans Board (PWLB) – a government funding agency that made loans available to major building projects.
At the time, the i360 was projected to earn 3 times more than it needed to cover its loan repayments.
New terms for i360 loan
In its original business case, the i360 overestimated the number of paying visitors it would achieve each year. Failure to achieve this led to a shortfall of funds available to repay the loan.
In July 2022 councillors were asked to consider new terms for the loan made to the i360. The restructuring meant that the council would take nearly all profits that the i360 makes in a cash sweep.
Read the i360 Loan Restructure report for the P&R committee on 7 July 2022.
It isn’t unusual for a business to reschedule loan repayments in the short term to sustain profitability in the long term. However, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis depressed visitor numbers and further impacted revenue before this restructuring could be put in place.
In February 2023 the i360’s board presented a new operating strategy with added revenue streams. Councillors agreed that giving the attraction more time to turn things around was the best option to maximise the council’s return and protect public money.
Read the i360 Loan Update report for Policy & Resources Committee on 27 February 2023.