Historic Victorian pier 'of national importance' set to be restored to former glory after surprise funding confirmed

Councillors were expected to vote to cancel the project on Tuesday before the surprise funding was confirmed.

Councillor Mark Canniford said he was "delighted" to announce the funding, telling a local authority meeting: "We made a promise to work right up until the last minute."

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) planned to provide the funding in order to return its Weston-super-Mare lifeboat station to Birnbeck Island.

However, the RNLI pulled their funding at the end of June over viability concerns.

Instead of voting to scrap the project, councillors voted to accept the new funding to continue the restoration of the pier.

Chair of the council, Clare Hunt, said: "This is not just a local issue. This has got this money because it is of national importance."

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The NLHF described the restoration of the pier as a "transformational project" that will help regenerate the landscape of the town for generations.

Chief executive, Eilish McGuiness, said: "Birnbeck Pier is a unique part of our coastal heritage that has been at risk of loss for over 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 with North Somerset Council, Historic England and the UK Government to make this project happen."

The pier is among six Grade II listed piers in England and the only one in the UK to connect the mainland to an island.

It played a major role during WW2, with the pier being commissioned for weapons trials.

One of the trials included the development of Sir Barnes-Wallis' famous bouncing bomb.

The RNLI gave the council the £400,000 it needed to purchase the pier in 2023.

Cllr Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council, said: "We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Put simply, this lifeline has saved the day."

Cllr Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council's cabinet member responsible for the Birnbeck Pier project, added: "Just a week ago, we faced the prospect of closing the pier restoration project down. Today, it's full steam ahead."

The National Lottery initially gave the pier £10million in 2024 to help bring it "back from the brink of loss".

The pier celebrated its 160th-anniversary last year.