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We bought the neglected Grade II* pier and island in July and now the team is in place to be able to develop detailed plans for bringing it back into operation and once again become an integral part of life in Weston-super-Mare.
It is a very large and technically complicated project so will take several years to complete in various stages, but progress can now begin to gather pace.
The restoration will first focus on urgent repairs and work to the landward side buildings.
This will be carried out in 2024/5, as the project successfully secured some of the government’s Levelling Up funding which needs to be spent more quickly.
Repairs to the legs of the pier structure and the partial restoration of the deck to create a safe access onto Birnbeck Island will also be taking place.
Funding for the pier repair will come from grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Historic England, and is being led by the RNLI.
It is hoped that this work will begin in 2025, subject to surveys, design work and the relevant permissions.
Alongside this, the RNLI will begin work to finalise designs for the building of their new lifeboat station on Birnbeck Island.
This will improve the charity’s operational effectiveness along this busy stretch of coast.
A later part of the project will see the other buildings and structures on the island restored and the site more fully opened to the public.
This later work will be part-funded by a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which is currently supporting the development phase of the works.
We’ll be applying for a grant of £4.2m for the next phase of the project shortly. If secured, works are expected to take place in 2026 and 2027.
It is hoped that once complete, the site will be managed by Birnbeck Regeneration Trust in the same way that a community-led charity has rebuilt and runs Clevedon Pier, which is also owned by North Somerset Council.
The project design team consultants appointed to take the restoration works forward are:
- Studio Four Architects, Marbas Civil and Structural Engineers, TNG Consulting Engineers and Royal HaskoningDHV Environmental - appointed by the RNLI to develop detailed proposal for the pier restoration and new lifeboat station on the island.
- Haverstock supported by Rena Pitsilli-Graham Conservation Architect and Mann Williams (engineers) - appointed by us to develop proposals for the island and landside restoration and reuse of the buildings and structures
- Haley Sharp – appointed by us to support the business planning process
- Bowles Green - supporting the capacity development of Birnbeck Regeneration Trust.
A visitor hub has now been set up on the promenade by Birnbeck Pier where you can meet volunteers from Birnbeck Regeneration Trust to discuss the project.
Find out more on our website.
The pier was designed by noted Victorian engineer Eugenius Birch and is on Historic England’s national Heritage at Risk Register.
We’re very grateful to our partners and funders, RNLI, Historic England, Birnbeck Regeneration Trust, National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Levelling Up Fund for supporting us in getting to this stage.