At a time when the most convenient way to arrive in the town was by sea, a pier was considered to be a necessity. Holdenhurst Parish Council was reluctant to find the money, and an attempt to raise funds privately in 1847 had only succeeded in financing a small 100 feet (30 m) jetty.[32] The Bournemouth Improvement Act of 1856 granted greater financial autonomy to the town and a pier was approved that year.