Work to restore crumbling historic pier under way

Work to restore a crumbling Grade II listed pier with a multi-million pounds restoration project is under way.

Birnbeck Pier, in Weston-super-Mare, has been in disrepair for years after being privately owned, before being sold to North Somerset Council.

The first phase of the work will see the council stabilise buildings on the island, repairing the seas walls and restoring electricity.

It has been funded by £4.47m from the UK government and the whole project to reopen the pier is expected to be completed by Autumn 2027.

Birnbeck Pier is the only pier in the country to link to an island

Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council’s executive member responsible for the Birnbeck Pier project, said: “This is a red-letter day for Weston-super-Mare. Many years’ significant effort has led to this.

“I hope that physical work starting on site will silence those who may have thought that this day would never come!

"This phase is about getting the island safe and fixed. The pier remains in a shocking condition but it’s saveable and this work is designed to do just that."

The buildings have fallen into disrepair on the Birnbeck Pier Island

Boats have started to transport equipment and materials to Birnbeck Island with The Pavilion, 1888 Boathouse and the Clocktower all undergoing works.

It is hoped that the RNLI will establish a lifeboat station on Birnbeck Island.

A planning application for the pier itself was submitted and a separate planning application for the creation of a new lifeboat station on the island is due to be submitted soon.

A boat delivered the first items to the Birnbeck Island on this 'historic' day

Birnbeck is the only pier in the UK to link to an island and served as an RNLI lifeboat station for 132 years, before the charity was forced to abandon it in 2014 following safety issues.

Simon Talbot-Ponsonby, Birnbeck Regeneration Trust Trustee said it is "incredibly sad" seeing what has happened to Birnbeck Pier over the years.

He said: "When I first saw it years ago, the buildings were in tact and it's really sad to see the buildings with roofs off.

"Thank goodness at last, it's getting going again. It's an historic day for Weston-super-Mare."