Land ahoy! That could be the familiar cry heard on the Thames after plans to build a pier off Battersea Park moved a step closer.

The new riverboat pier would bring tourists to the "best riverside park in London" by the time the Olympics come to town, if the scheme goes ahead.

Wandsworth Council has agreed to test the water for a river shuttle service to Battersea and is looking for expressions of interest. If it is successful, another pier may be built in Wandsworth Park.

The proposal marks the fourth time since 1998 that the idea has been floated for a pier in the park, which has had one for most of its 150-year history.

With support at least in principle from local groups and the Olympics drawing near, it seems success could at last be in sight.

A council spokesman said: "The park, which is the best riverside park in London by a long shot, looks very impressive. It would clearly be an added attraction for a river shuttle service. It would be a popular stop for tourists and sightseers."

Ed Heap, general manager of Battersea Park Children's Zoo, said: "It would be fantastic. The more regeneration the park gets the better."

Battersea Power Station developers Parkview International have expressed an interest in using the pier until their own one is ready for passenger use.

They have appointed a riverbus operator which would link the site with Chelsea, central London, the City and Docklands.

A Parkview spokesman said: "We are planning to open in 2009 and hope to have the riverbus operating some 18 to 24 months in advance of that. Battersea Park would provide us with a convenient stop close to the development."

Three piers were built off Battersea Park for the 1951 Festival of Britain but the last part of them was removed in 1998 after it was struck by a barge.

Since then, numerous attempts to reinstall a pier have failed.

In 1999, plans for a pier were removed from a lottery-funded restoration of the park due to prohibitively high charges from the Crown Estates, which owns the riverbed Two further proposals have been sunk due to opposition to over-commercialism.

Philip Wright, chairman of the Friends of Battersea Park, said he is in favour in principle. He said: "Any new pier should be stylistically compatible with this wonderful stretch of unrestricted promenade and bring real benefit to all park users.

"However, we would strongly resist a pier used for commercial and private events, which would be noisy and limit peaceful use of the river promenade."