The incredible new £5.5m mega-project to save historic UK pier

A historic Somerset landmark once feared lost has now been saved, after the National Lottery Heritage Fund stepped in with a grant to plug the £5.5 million funding gap threatening its restoration.

The news arrived at a full meeting of North Somerset Council this week, where councillors had been preparing to shelve the long-running project. Instead of a cancellation, members voted through fresh plans that will allow specialist contractor J T Mackley to take over the works on the structure.

Council cabinet member Mark Canniford, who has overseen the scheme, described the announcement as a moment of relief: "We made a promise to work right up until the last minute," he told colleagues, confirming that the pier's future is once again secure. Council leader Mike Bell added that the deal was "certainly unexpected and last minute" but also "a real vote of confidence in the project."

Birnbeck Pier, a Grade II listed structure and the only pier in the UK to connect the mainland to an island, has been at risk for decades. Its position off Weston-super-Mare once made it a local landmark for visitors, but time and weather left it abandoned and at risk of permanent loss.

In 2023, the RNLI provided the £400,000 required for the council to acquire the site, with hopes of returning Weston's lifeboat station to Birnbeck Island. However, by June this year the charity had withdrawn its promised £5.5m contribution, citing concerns about viability.

Tuesday's decision ensures the restoration will now move forward. Clare Hunt, chair of the council, stressed the project's wider significance: "This is not just a local issue. This has got this money because it is of national importance."

The pier's heritage reaches beyond seaside tourism. During the Second World War, it was commandeered for weapons testing, playing a part in the development of Sir Barnes Wallis's legendary bouncing bomb.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has described the pier's recovery as "transformational." Chief executive Eilish McGuinness said Birnbeck had been on the at-risk register for more than 25 years: "The additional grant reflects our commitment to saving heritage at risk and investing in the communities it belongs to."

"We know that any major project and investment of this scale will have risks, but we are committed to working collaboratively... to make this project happen."