Following fire damage to both the Pavilion and the Concert Hall at the West Pier in the Spring of 2003, Brighton and Hove City Council asked English Heritage for advice on whether the proposed repair/restoration of the pier should go ahead. In February 2003 planning permission had been granted, subject to the conclusion of an agreement under S. 106 of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act for the restoration of the pier, funded in part by enabling development at the landward end. English Heritage had argued that the balance of advantage lay with the proposals at that stage - the harmful effect of the enabling development on the character of the Conservation Area was more than offset by the benefit to that character of the restoration of the West Pier. The main issue for consideration by English Heritage has therefore been what framework to use to re-evaluate the situation following the fires. Research during the summer and autumn of 2003 has captured past policy following disasters at historic assets. This has allowed a process of comparison, so that our advice would not be inconsistent with similar circumstances elsewhere. In addition, knowing that the outcome would be of no little interest beyond Brighton, it was important that English Heritage's advice was situated in the context of international rather than just national approaches to conservation in the twenty-first century.