13/03/2008 00:37:00
The once grand piers of Edwardian Britain may have been left to the ravages of time in recent years, but it appears that Weston-super-Mare's Birnbeck pier may be set for a revival.
The Guardian reports that a multimillion pound transformation of the 141-year old Birnbeck pier will be unveiled by developers today. Birnbeck pier has remained closed to the public since 1992.
The firm Urban Splash plan to reopen the pier. Their director, Jason Collard, told the Guardian: "We want to get away from the kiss-me-quick hats and raise the bar in Weston-super-Mare."
However, before their plans can be realised, the firm must tackle the dereliction of the pier's structures. A problem common to many of England's piers, including the still unrestored Brighton West Pier and Kent's storm-damaged structure at Herne Bay, although Canterbury City Council is helping set up a charitable trust to raise money for repairs to Herne's pier.
The Birnbeck Pier is listed as a Grade II structure and English Heritage has intimated that the pier is one of the most at-risk buildings in the UK. Repairs to shore it up could cost about £4m meaning that Government subsidies might be needed to make the project viable. However, Collard suggested that the regeneration "will lure people planning weekend breaks", and that it provides a viable business opportunity.
It seems that piers in England may be experiencing a resurgence in popularity; two new piers are planned for sites near Skegness in Lincolnshire and in Morecambe. There are also redevelopment plans for historic piers in Fleetwood and Southwold in Suffolk.