Weston's Birnbeck Pier saved! New lifeboat station announced
Council works with RNLI to save Pier from falling into the sea
I am absolutely delighted to report that last night, North Somerset Council gave unanimous support for a new partnership with the RNLI to save Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare.
Birnbeck Pier has been closed to the public for over 20 years and was in danger of being lost for ever. The Council had previously issued legal notices to the current owner to make necessary repairs, notices which had largely been ignored.
A significant programme of works to renovate the pier and provide a new lifeboat station will be phased over several years. This will be funded through a variety of sources including the RNLI, Historic England and other grants. North Somerset Council and the RNLI will work closely with, and be guided by, Historic England in order to collaborate and access specific grants and trusts reserved for restoration and community projects to fund the venture.
The Council has been working for some time to secure a future for the Pier and announced in June 2020 that the RNLI were looking to move their life-saving operations back to the island, significantly improving their access to the water.
Crucially, the private owner has agreed to sell the pier to the council, and we are keen to acquire Birnbeck as soon as possible. This avoids the time-consuming and expensive compulsory purchase order process. Under the plan, the council will take over ownership of the pier and a new charity or similar will be formed, jointly with the RNLI, to drive forward the restoration project and manage the pier in the future.
We have worked for many months on this project and I am grateful to North Somerset Council officer team and the many volunteers and groups who have been involved in getting this over the line.
Duncan Macpherson, RNLI Principal Estates Manager said:
“The RNLI is extremely grateful for the support and commitment of North Somerset Council in its determination to secure a long-term base for the RNLI’s lifesaving in Weston-super-Mare. This announcement comes after many months of collaborative work between the two organisations and while the funding and engineering involved in such a project is incredibly challenging, the Council taking ownership of Birnbeck is an essential to the RNLI’s ambition to re-establish a lifesaving facility on the island.”
Watch my 2 minute video below of an RNLI Weston emergency call out, the new Birnbeck life boat station, with 24/7 direct access to the Severn estuary, can only but help the RNLI provide an even better emergency service.
Ross Simmonds, Acting Regional Director at Historic England, said: “Birnbeck Pier is one of the longest standing and most important cases for Historic England here in the Southwest. We are delighted that the council have secured the ownership of the pier and with the RNLI, we will continue to work closely with all partners to help rescue this outstanding and much-loved structure.”
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