Council buys derelict Birnbeck Pier 'for future generations'

The derelict pier has been closed to the public since 1994

A council has bought a historic pier after the owner dropped its objection to attempts to force it to sell.

Grade II-listed Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare has been at the centre of a legal dispute since 2020.

North Somerset Council was attempting to acquire the structure from CNM Estates through a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

CNM Estates has now withdrawn its objections to the CPO and the pier has been sold for £400,000.

It is the only pier in the UK to link to an island and to have served as an RNLI lifeboat station for more than a century.

The charity was forced to abandon the site in 2014 when the derelict pier became too dangerous to walk across, but will re-establish its base once repairs have been completed.

The pier has also fallen victim to vandals

The council said an architect has already been appointed to develop designs for the repair works to the structure and associated building, and planning applications will be submitted in due course.

It said preliminary works would start in the coming weeks, including a tidy up of the car park area, new fencing and putting up safety signage.

'Thrilled'

The sale means a CPO inquiry for the pier planned for 8 to 10 August will no longer be necessary.

Councillor Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council, said: "It's taken years of planning, negotiation and sheer determination but we're thrilled to announce Birnbeck Pier's future is firmly in our hands and it's once again looking bright.

"Thanks to our partners' unwavering support along with millions in funding, we will now be working as quickly as possible to get on site, prevent any further collapse and renovate the pier and its buildings for future generations to enjoy.

"We look forward to returning Birnbeck Pier to the people, present and future, of Weston-super-Mare as soon as possible."

North Somerset Council will be the pier's legal owner, with an area of the island leased to the RNLI for its lifeboat station.

An architect has been appointed to draw up plans for repair works

Duncan Macpherson, RNLI principal estates manager, said: "After many years of investigation of over 20 alternative sites in and around Weston, Birnbeck Island offers the charity the safest and most effective place for our volunteer crew to launch and recover their lifeboats.

"It is the only place that our volunteers can safely provide a lifesaving service for the town at all states of tide."

CNM Estates said that as well as the sale the council had made a "significant contribution" to the legal costs it has incurred fighting the CPO.

As part of the deal it has retained access to 70 parking spaces to support the redevelopment of the nearby Royal Pier Hotel, which it hopes to redevelop into apartments.

The company said it hoped the sale would "kick start the regeneration of the northern part of the town".

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