North Somerset Council wins fight to buy Birnbeck Pier

A council has moved a step closer in its bid to buy a Grade II* listed Victorian pier at risk of collapse.

Birnbeck Pier, which connects with Birnbeck Island in Weston-super-Mare, is privately owned and has been in a state of disrepair for years.

North Somerset Council has now succeeded in a court case against the owner and will be allowed to continue with a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

It is expected the CPO will be completed next year.

The court case came after the private owner objected to the CPO, served in 2020, and asked for a 'stay'.

The council responded that a stay was not justified due to the owner not undertaking any repairs on the pier either before or since the CPO was served.

At the hearing on Friday the owners withdrew their objection.

Executive member for placemaking and growth at North Somerset Council, Mark Canniford, said: "We're extremely pleased the case has been withdrawn and we can now begin the purchase of the pier as soon as possible.

"Following the emergency funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund of £3.55m and the National Lottery Heritage Fund of £234,760, we can start the first two stages of works.

"This will include strengthening the legs, creating a temporary walkway onto the island, developing detailed proposals for the restoration and reuse of Birnbeck's buildings and wide-ranging community engagement."

The site 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.

North Somerset Council and the RNLI have formally agreed to work together to renovate Birnbeck Pier.

Principal estates manager from RNLI, Duncan Macpherson, said: "There is still a long way to go but this is a positive step in the right direction towards North Somerset Council taking ownership of the pier and Island.

"Once ownership has been resolved the RNLI and North Somerset Council can commence with the collaborative restoration and reopening of the Pier site."

The pier, designed by the noted Victorian engineer, Eugenius Birch, is classed by Historic England as being a priority level A, Listed building in their National Building at risk Register.

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