Reviving the Past, Shaping the Future
North Somerset Council’s Ownership of Birnbeck Pier – July 2023
In July 2023, North Somerset Council officially acquired Birnbeck Pier for £400,000, with funding provided by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). This purchase marked a significant step forward in the restoration efforts for this nationally important heritage site.
The acquisition has enabled collaboration with the RNLI to bring Birnbeck Pier and Island back to life. Once restored, the site will reopen to the public, attracting visitors from across the region while ensuring the RNLI can once again operate a lifesaving lifeboat station from the island.
Due to the extreme tidal conditions of the Bristol Channel, Birnbeck Island provides the safest and most effective location for the RNLI’s volunteer crew to launch and recover lifeboats at all stages of the tide. It remains the only viable location in Weston-super-Mare for the RNLI to provide this essential emergency service.
The vision extends beyond the pier’s structural restoration. The project aims to revive the island’s historic buildings, create a unique destination, and play a key role in the broader regeneration of Weston-super-Mare, ensuring a lasting legacy for both the community and visitors alike.
North Somerset Council work hard to secure external funding to support the project.
So far, we have secured over £25m in funding from:
- The National Lottery Heritage Fund - £10.2m. Of this, £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, and to progress a full grant application for an additional £7m which is due to be determined in spring 2025.
- NSC purchased Birnbeck Pier and Island in July 2023 thanks to £400k funding from the RNLI. The RNLI has committed additional funding towards the pier restoration.
- 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 - £1m.
Through the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust and Friends of the Old Pier Society local people have been hugely important to the campaign to save the pier.
Enabling Works and Landside Buildings
- Autumn 2024 to winter 2024 – island sea wall repairs and stabilise 1888 boat house
- Autumn 2024 to winter 2024 – landside cliff face stabilisation
- Spring 2025 to winter 2025 – repair and renovation of the landside buildings
- Dates are subject to change these were as of Nov 2024.
Bridge and RNLI Buildings
- Summer 2025 to summer 2026 – pier deck construction and repair work to strengthen the pier
- Summer 2026 to summer 2027 – repair and renovation of the island buildings
- Autumn 2026 to spring 2028 – building work to create a new RNLI lifeboat station and visitor centre
- Dates are subject to change these were as of Nov 2024.
All proceeds will go directly towards supporting the Trust’s work in delivering the operations of Birnbeck Pier
Further phases will require more funding.
North Somerset Council have their own website where additional information can be found.
