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28/12/2008, 8:54 AM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 838 Re: old birnbeck pier This is the original Levitate proposal, btw. Click here And this piece from a few weeks ago in the Mercury CAFES, delicatessens and boutique-style shops - these all feature in exciting new plans for 'Birnbeck Village'. Urban Splash, the company behind the massive redevelopment of Weston's oldest pier, wants to create a vibrant hub of activity around the attraction. South West managing director Jason Collard has exclusively revealed his first detailed plans for the area around Birnbeck Pier and Island. He has also released new images to the public of what the multi-million pound site could eventually look like. In the first draft of the masterplan, architects Levitate show how shops and cafes could be staggered from Prince Consort Gardens, to provide direct access to Birkett Road and the rest of Birnbeck Village in front of the pier. The roofs of buildings would provide a surface for people to walk on and wander down to the main attraction. Although Birkett Road would still be accessible to cars, it would be narrowed slightly and redesigned to encourage pedestrians to walk about the area. Once on the main pier, visitors would be able to explore a whole host of exciting attractions, including rock pool areas, as well as further shops and cafes. Hotel guests could be transported by large golf buggy-style vehicles to the end of the pier where they would find top-rated accommodation, featuring a ballroom, spa and concert hall on the Kewstoke side of the attraction. Accommodation of some sort would be situated facing The Royal Pier Hotel, but further details about what type would be decided further down the line. Mr Collard said he hopes to be in a position to be able to present a final masterplan to North Somerset Council next autumn. He said: "We have reached an exciting point with Birnbeck. "In the new year we'll be starting a comprehensive public consultation, a really important period for the scheme as it will allow us to get the views and opinions of people in Weston. "We will be releasing details of consultation meetings in the coming weeks and I urge anybody with an interest in this beautiful pier to come and have a look at our vision." Mr Collard has described how Urban Splash will provide a lot of the funding for the project, but that he is hoping to work with other key business owners and organisations to create one massive regeneration project for Weston. He is hoping the owners of sites, including the car park opposite the Dorville Hotel and other key areas, will work alongside Urban Splash and has said his intention is not for the regeneration company to fund the entire revamp. He added: "Working with Levitate, we have created the masterplan, which outlines what we want to bring to Birnbeck, as well as suggestions for possible future development on council-owned land around the site. "These are by no means final plans. This is our vision and a starting point that shows the benefits regeneration will bring. "We hope ultimately there will be lots of cafes, delicatessens, boutique-type shops and, of course, a good mix of private and affordable homes there. "We also understand the importance of existing green space, such as Prince Consort Gardens. "Part of our plans are to extend and improve these areas so residents and visitors can enjoy beautifully-designed public gardens, with the added bonus of great views out to sea. Article Sean    Report

28/12/2008, 12:45 PM Flyer Joined on 17/09/2008 Posts 741 Re: old birnbeck pier Just read the Levitate "masterplan".  Rows of boutique shops, cafes and delicatessens, walking on roofs !!, (visitors would have to wear high-viz jackets, hard hats and safety boots just to placate Health & Safety).  Sorry, I can't see it happening...Credit Crunch or not.  As for affordable housing, you can't build and mix affordable housing in what will inevitably be an expensive development, if it is to regenerate Birneck. People who have the money to buy expensive sea-view apartments, and these will have to be expensive to recoup a developers' profit, will want the enclave to be "much of a muchness", they won't want to risk their investment deteriorating in a situation like this.  I know, I was in the property game for years and have often heard househunters saying "I don't want my house to be the Lily amongst the cabbage patch". This may be brutal, but when it comes to perhaps losing money, househunters can be a savage lot. Finally, Birnbeck can still be saved.  The Island should be there for almost ever, the Pier could be rescued and refurbished as a charity, with the help of masses of active volunteers, together with some drive and initiative funnelled into fundraising. Perhaps someone should offer Urban Splash a pound £1, to take it off their hands?      Report

17/03/2009, 1:41 PM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 838 Re: old birnbeck pier This doesn't look promising... Sean    Report

04/04/2009, 5:59 AM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 838 Re: old birnbeck pier ...took this photo on Wednesday.  Would love to know what the couple are thinking... Sean    Report

04/04/2009, 11:27 AM Flyer Joined on 17/09/2008 Posts 741 Re: old birnbeck pier They are probably thinking, "...wonder why the Town doesn't do it up?  It could be nice"    Report

04/04/2009, 7:07 PM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 838 Re: old birnbeck pier  Flyer wrote: They are probably thinking, "...wonder why the Town doesn't do it up?  It could be nice" My first thoughts were "Is that a seagull?  I'm sure it is - Seth, get the camera out!!" (not that I have anything against Wessex Girls, you understand ;-)) Sean    Report

28/04/2009, 9:46 PM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 838 Re: old birnbeck pier What's actually going on at Birnbeck? They seem to be sawing up planks of wood and the like -- does this mean they're in the process of starting replanking? Might be nice... Sean    Report

22/06/2009, 4:30 PM Flyer Joined on 17/09/2008 Posts 741 Re: old birnbeck pier My spies have just ridden into camp, with news from afar. Urban Splash made a quarter of their staff (60 out of 280) redundant earlier this year. They are now in consultation with their staff in Manchester to make further redundancies and/or savings to offset poor sales. An announcement should be made shortly ! I'm sure Birnbeck Island wouldn't mind being off-loaded from Urban Splash, you know, just to help out.    Report

23/06/2009, 12:01 AM MJR Joined on 13/08/2008 Kewstoke Posts 260 Re: old birnbeck pier  Flyer wrote: My spies have just ridden into camp, with news from afar. Urban Splash made a quarter of their staff (60 out of 280) redundant earlier this year. Now, now, the TV set isn't really "afar" is it?  I think that was in http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k89m5 which was repeated last week.    Report

23/06/2009, 10:55 AM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 838 Re: old birnbeck pier Urban Splash have pulled out of the Morlands project in Glastonbury... I wouldn't be surprised to see them give up on Birnbeck shortly. At which time we need to have our "Plan 'B'" ready. I've spoken to a lot of people over the past few weeks and most agree that something tailored towards the more arty and (perhaps) older members of the Weston community and the visiting tourists would have a viability to it longterm - the big issue would be getting an investor who felt the same. Sean    Report

23/06/2009, 1:05 PM Flyer Joined on 17/09/2008 Posts 741 Re: old birnbeck pier  MJR wrote:  Flyer wrote: My spies have just ridden into camp, with news from afar. Urban Splash made a quarter of their staff (60 out of 280) redundant earlier this year. Now, now, the TV set isn't really "afar" is it?  I think that was in http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k89m5 which was repeated last week. Tried to log onto the BBC page...."page not found" The redundancies made by Urban Splash earlier in the year around April were widely reported, from memory, the Mercury also ran a story. This new "consultation period" between Urban Splash and their workforce, has only just slipped out into the trade. I was given a tip off by one of their suppliers, who was in turn given a tip off by a current employee who will probably be a casualty in the next batch of redundancies, who gave the tip off because he wants to jump ship and was looking for another job, with my friend.    Report

23/06/2009, 1:15 PM Flyer Joined on 17/09/2008 Posts 741 Re: old birnbeck pier  Sean Miller wrote: Urban Splash have pulled out of the Morlands project in Glastonbury... I wouldn't be surprised to see them give up on Birnbeck shortly. At which time we need to have our "Plan 'B'" ready. I've spoken to a lot of people over the past few weeks and most agree that something tailored towards the more arty and (perhaps) older members of the Weston community and the visiting tourists would have a viability to it longterm - the big issue would be getting an investor who felt the same. Sean How about the "M" word.........the Michaels. They would appear to be buying up all and sundry in Weston. If Birnbeck could be taken back into Charitable ownership, a nice donation from the Michaels would no doubt guarantee oodles of goodwill from the Weston public, and confirm that the family are not just common or garden business people, but have a genuine desire that Weston can be Super again, if it has that little bit of extra  financial help.    Report

23/06/2009, 4:43 PM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 838 Re: old birnbeck pier Indeed. Spent the early afternoon today soaking up the sun in the Gardens; the dereliction of the Old Pier below me, the wreck of the Royal Pier Hotel to my left.  "People listening" is interesting -- all around me people were muttering to one another what a shame the current state of Birnbeck Island is.   If Urban Splash are determined to hold onto it then they could at least do something about reinforcing and replanking the pier itself, that can't be ridiculously expensive and the longer they leave it the more it is going to cost. Can the Mercury not do some investigation into the current situation at Urban Splash?  Is this consultation with the residents that was meant to be happening around now ever going to come to fruition or will they just leave the place to rot until Birnbeck is once again a true island (sans pier) and then say "unfortunately it's no longer viable"?? If that were to be the case then they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves - for before Urban Splash and their ambitious plans came along there was the Friends of the Old Pier Society which appeared to be working hard to get funding to do something less ambitious. Sean    Report

23/06/2009, 8:02 PM zensplanet Joined on 16/08/2008 Posts 22 Re: old birnbeck pier what do people really want from Birnbeck, is it the old pier restored or a new futeristic one built.    Report

24/06/2009, 9:53 AM Busman Joined on 24/06/2009 Posts 9 Re: old birnbeck pier I'd prefer the old pier restored. That is though looking increasingly unlikely. I fear it will just be left to continue to rot and one day will be beyond repair. Yet another failure in Weston's relatively recent pathetic history. Those in charge really don't care do they?    Report

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