Summons for Southsea South Parade Pier owners

South Parade Pier was served with a closure notice last year

The owners of a Portsmouth pier are to be issued with a summons regarding work to make the structure safe, the city council has said.

South Parade Pier, in Southsea, closed in 2012, was served with a closure notice last year and the owners were given seven days to carry out safety work more than a week ago.

One of the owners has said it has been sold, but has not yet revealed to whom.

The case is listed at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court for 31 March.

New owner

Portsmouth City Council said the summons was due to be issued "imminently".

Dawn Randall, one of the owners, has insisted she and co-owner Fred Nash were given until 31 March to carry out the work.

"The work is being organised now," she added.

On 7 March, she said contracts for the pier's sale had been exchanged, but did not disclose how much it had been sold for, or who had bought it.

Community trust South Parade Trust had claimed the owners had offered to sell the Grade II listed pier to it, subject to price and contract, but Ms Randall said it had not been sold to the trust.

She has now said the new owner will be revealed on Wednesday.

Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of the council, had said necessary work to stop people from going under the pier and to protect anyone under the canopy had been requested.

If not done within the allotted week he said the council would carry out the work and charge the owners.