West Pier harbour wall repairs approved by council

The works will strengthen the steel sheet-piled wall, the council said

Repairs to Scarborough's West Pier have been approved by North Yorkshire Council.

Work to extend the lifespan of the pier will include repairing and strengthening the steel sheet-piled wall along the harbour-facing section of the pier.

The repair works, which will address identified defects, will take place in three phases ending with the steel wall being painted with a protective coating.

A council planning report said the works would not alter the historic stone core of the pier, or the area where the sandstone remained exposed.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the report found the pier structure was beginning to deteriorate on its east side.

The report said: "Failure to carry out these works could impact the viability of existing operations taking place on the pier and could potentially [lead to] the closure of the fishing industry, as it would no longer be able to operate safely."

The pier was extended on the inner harbour section in two stages, first with a concrete pile wall in 1975 and then with an interlocking steel sheet pile wall in 1987 which now forms the inner harbour section wall.

It was noted that a "majority of the works will be below the high water line and won't have a significant impact on the character of the pier or the harbour area in general".

There were no representations by members of the public regarding the scheme, and the council's conservation officer said that the "large-scale details are acceptable" and "would not harm the heritage significance of the West Pier subject to agreement of a colour specification".

The planning report said: "The surface of the pier, and all attached structures, such as ladders, anchors and boat ties, would not be altered by the works proposed to the sheet piles."

The project was approved, subject to conditions, on Friday.

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