Colwyn Bay pier: Judge says court must decide ownership

Colwyn Bay pier has been closed since 2008

A judge says the ownership of Colwyn Bay's 112-year-old pier should be determined by a full hearing at a later date.

Ownership had been due to be discussed at Mold County Court on Monday.

Conwy council claimed last month that it owns the pier, which has been shut since a former owner - who contests ownership - went bankrupt in July 2008.

Another hearing, to decide if the council broke rules by repairing the pier, was thrown out by the judge.

The local authority announced in March 2012 that it had taken over the rundown, Grade II-listed Victorian pier.

The former owner, Steve Hunt, had applied to Mold County Court for an order confirming that the pier was his.

He had hoped the application could be dealt with in a short, 30-minute hearing.

Business rates

The judge, Milwyn Jarman QC, said: "There are factual matters that need to be investigated, and this should now go to a full day trial."

A barrister representing the council said the local authority should be part of the case as well, as it had signed a deal to buy the pier in March 2012.

Mr Hunt was made bankrupt in July 2008 in a dispute with Conwy council over unpaid business rates and council tax.

He claims that after three years, the pier should have been returned to him if it had not been sold.

The council says the pier passed into the hands of the Crown Estate, which sold it to the Welsh government and it then passed to the local authority.

Earlier this month, the Heritage Lottery Fund turned down Conwy council's application for a £4.9m grant to restore the pier.

A second hearing addressed a case brought by Mr Hunt in which he claimed the council acted illegally when it spent money repairing the pier during the 2009-10 financial year.

The judge rejected the claim as Mr Hunt could not prove he was on the register of electors for Conwy county at the time.