A COUNCIL'S purchase of Birnbeck Pier has edged a step closer after its private owner withdrew an objection in court.
Today, November 25, CNM Estates - or Birnbeck Holdings Ltd after chairman Wahid Samady sold the pier back to himself under a different company - pulled out of a legal process to place a 'stay' on a compulsory purchase order (CPO) brought by North Somerset Council.
It was argued the appeal was not justified as no repairs were made to the grade-II listed structure either before or since the CPO was served in 2020.
Now the authority can move forward with a purchase to help restore the pier and return Weston RNLI to its spiritual home on the island.
READ MORE: Birnbeck Pier court date for council purchase delayed
A court hearing on the 'stay' was due to take place earlier this month but was deferred to the new year for reasons unclear at this time.
It's hoped if the CPO is successful public access can be returned, but this process may yet take around five years to complete.
In October, the pier's private owner also declined an offer from North Somerset Council to purchase the site for £480,000.
Birnbeck is the only pier in the UK to link an island with the mainland and was opened in 1867. It closed to customers in 1994.
The town's RNLI lifeboatmen were forced to relocate in 2014 after more than 130 years of launching from the famous boathouse.
READ MORE: Birnbeck Pier to benefit from £3.5m government funding
The news follows two sets of significant funding packages announced last month.
The National Heritage Memorial Fund provided £3.55million for phase one of the restoration. The National Lottery secured a £234,761 development grant for phase two where work will help to conserve the remaining four grade-II structures and buildings located on the island and the landward end of the site, too.
Though there are fears the pier's 117-year-old north jetty may be too damaged to be saved.
The authority may also be able to apply for a full grant of £4.2million at a later date, on condition keys to the site have been secured.
Heritage champion at the council, Cllr John Crockford-Hawley, said: “This will be the most challenging, complex and exciting conservation project ever undertaken by the council in partnership with statutory and voluntary bodies.
"Bringing historic Birnbeck Pier back into useful life will be of significance well beyond the shores of the Bristol Channel."
READ MORE: Birnbeck Pier to benefit from National Lottery funding
It is classed by Historic England as a priority level A listed site in its national building 'at risk register'.
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