Birnbeck Pier project

Our ambition is for Birnbeck Pier and Island to re-open to the public, attracting visitors from across the region to this nationally important heritage site.

The vision is not only to bring the pier and its buildings back from the brink of loss, but also to create a unique destination to support the regeneration of Weston-super-Mare.

Birnbeck Pier opened in 1867. It was designed by Eugenius Birch and is the only pier in the country to link to an island. It is an outstanding example of Victorian engineering and is Grade II* listed. It used to be a very popular visitor attraction with funfairs, rides and steamer ferries.

During the Second World War it was taken over by the Admiralty and used as a secret base for weapons testing.

After the war, the site never fully regained its popularity. It began a slow decline passing through a series of private owners.

The lack of maintenance caused the pier to become unsafe and in 1994 it was closed to the public. The RNLI had operated from a lifeboat station on the island since the pier opened but they were forced to leave in 2014 after the pier was deemed too dangerous. The RNLI is currently operating from a temporary base at Marine Lake. 

Historic England were so concerned about the deterioration that it has been on their National Heritage at Risk Register since 1998. Due to concern about the pier, we have been working with Historic England since 2003 and the RNLI since 2013 to develop a sustainable future for the site. 

Compulsory purchase order

In 2020, we started a compulsory purchase order (CPO) process. The CPO public enquiry was scheduled to take place in August 2023. However on Thursday 13 July 2023 the owner agreed to sell Birnbeck Pier and Island to us.

The restoration of Birnbeck Pier and Island is a large and complex project. It is being delivered in phases by different specialist contractors. 

The phases of work have been made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK government, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Historic England.

Emergency works

Initial emergency and safety works were completed in December 2024 by Teignmouth Maritime Services (TMS) and Vertical Technology. 

Landside buildings

The second phase of restoration work is on the landside. This started in summer 2025.

The landside work is being led by our appointed contractor for this phase of the project, Bristol-based Smith and Brenson.

Haverstock Associates Architects developed proposals for the landside restoration and associated buildings.

Pier restoration

The third phase of work is the restoration of the pier structure itself. This is due to start by the end of 2025. It will be carried out by Mackley, a specialist civil engineering contractor with extensive experience and expertise of working in a marine environment and with heritage structures.

Studio Four Architects and Marbas engineers developed the proposals for the pier restoration. 

People can find out more about our plans, including detailed drawings, within planning applications on our website.

We continue to work hard to secure external funding to support the project and deliver future phases of restoration.

So far, we have secured over £20m in funding from:

• The National Lottery Heritage Fund - £15.74m.
  • Of this, £5.54m was awarded in September 2025 and £10m was awarded in October 2024 to fund capital works to rescue and stabilise the pier structure.
  • An initial grant of £234,761 was awarded in September 2022 to develop plans to transform and relaunch the pier as a visitor attraction for Weston-super-Mare.
• The UK government (former Levelling Up Fund) - £5.4m
• National Heritage Memorial Fund, through the UK government’s Cultural Assets Fund - £3.55m
• Historic England - £1.1m. Of this, £111,496 was awarded in August 2025 through the UK government’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund.

North Somerset Council has also committed capital funding to cover risk contingency, ensuring the project is delivered responsibly and sustainably.

Local people have been hugely important to the campaign to save the pier. This includes the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust and Friends of the Old Pier Society.