"The fact it would give people using it a unique view of Hawke Bay was a bonus.
"It was never designed as a pier."
Back in 2012, the plans were unveiled for a development along Marine Parade.
The then Mayor Barbara Arnott and her council had a vision of redeveloping the area into a family friendly area "offering everyone even more choice".
Part of the plans included a stormwater pier.
"Extending out to sea opposite the end of Tennyson St, the pier is to be built as both an attraction, also for aesthetic appeal, over the top of an outfall for the upgraded city centre stormwater system," the plans stated.
The structure has sparked a heated debate on social media with a general consensus being that the project was a lost opportunity.
Many felt that the platform needed to be extended further out to sea so it could be used for swimming and fishing.
Others countered arguing that the beach is notoriously dangerous and a pier out to sea would act as a platform for people to behave like larrikins.
Taxpayers' Union executive director, Jordan Williams, said that Napier's seaside pier must be scared of the water.
"Who was silly enough to think that spending millions on a platform over a beach is a good use of money?"
He said that even if it is visually appealing, comments by ratepayers appear pretty unanimous that it's a useless structure.
"The council claims that $1.2 million would have been spent on a stormwater pipe underneath anyway.
"Even if a 40m section of pipe costs that much, which seems highly unlikely, it is no excuse."
