The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier

[BMD]

Ah, I think this answers my question:

These plans will require a major funding package, but, if delivered, could provide a sustainable future for the pier which wouldn’t draw on Conwy County Borough Council finance

So CCBC won't be contributing any funding to rebuilding of the pier? That's why they're happy with the proposal to dismantle.

[Nemesis]

Dismantle a rusting, rotting pier....and store it for 'the future'
What madness is this?
Once it's gone, it's GONE!!

Where ever would they store all that rotting debris? I could think of a skip that they could use ! WWW

[Fester]

It's the most ridiculous and unsatisfactory outcome that could possibly have emerged.
Fair enough, compromise is always a good thing in long running disputes, but this?

I'm an old man now, but I guarantee that once it's 'dismantled' , it will never be seen again in the lifetime of anyone in North Wales, nor their grandchildren.

It seems to me that the Trust have caved in and realised that no funding will ever be forthcoming, so it's a face-saving climb down.
CADW, PLEASE call this decision in, and put a stop to this vandalism.

[Blongb]

It's the most ridiculous and unsatisfactory outcome that could possibly have emerged.
Fair enough, compromise is always a good thing in long running disputes, but this?
CADW, PLEASE call this decision in, and put a stop to this vandalism.

Unfortunately the vandalism was perpetrated during WWII for all the right reasons at that time. The great pity is that the Pier was never fully restored back in the late 40's when it might have stood a chance of being maintained properly. No money was ever forthcoming so its demise was a forgone conclusion.  Today every structural part of the pier would have to have been replaced to make it safe for the public to use. With the state of current local government finance, I think CCBC have far more pressing things to spend their budget on. 

[Michael]

When you say vandalism during the war years are you referring to the boards being lifted so that any German invasion couldn't use the pier to get to land? I don't remember that happening to colwyn bay pier, but it most certainly happened to the Rhos pier. On the rhos pier we kids used to either walk a tightrope across the maybe two foot wide main girder or else drop down on to lower ironwork and edge across holding on to the top girder. All to get to pigeons eggs in the U disturbed nests at the far end. Any slipwould have meant an immediate death on the large rocks many feet below. I did it. The most frightening part was when I realised I had to go back again or starve to death

[Fester]

Fabulous story Mike, the crazy things we all did in our youth, without thinking of the consequences.

As you say, Rhos Pier did indeed have large sections of decking removed in WWII, as it was such a long pier and could conceivably have had enemy vessels docking at the end.
However, I can find no historical record of the same happening at Colwyn Bay, nor would it have been necessary as the state of the tides there would have made a Pier invasion pointless.
The beaches and coves will have been defended instead I would imagine.

Anyway, all this talk will soon be redundant as the pier gets taken down, and disappears... FOREVER!

[Nemesis]

If this wind carries on the rest of the structure will go. Just come back from there and the waves are over the top of the Cayley Café, so you can imagine how rough it is !

[Hugo]

I can see from my window that Rhos is having a battering this morning and the waves are coming over the Prom.  Thank goodness for that breakwater or otherwise Rhos would have been flooded today.
It must be equally as bad by the pier and Old Colwyn too.
I wonder what effect it will have on the structure of the pier today because when those three stanchions snapped and the fourth was leaning the weather was relatively calm.

[SteveH]

Colwyn Bay pier 'perilous and at risk of further collapse' investigation finds
Engineers who have inspected the structure say sections will have to be demolished 'to pre-empt an uncontrolled collapse'

The investigation found that the tide was low at the time the end of the pier began to collapse, so surveyors have concluded that the weather or water was not what caused it to fall.

According to the engineers’ survey, “the sudden partial failure of the pier indicates the fragile nature of the structure in its current condition, with the loss by corrosion of key structural elements”.

Several sections of the pier buckled and collapsed, and there are 12 more sections that are feared to be at risk of falling down in the “foreseeable future”.

The report recommends taking them down to avoid them falling, and a controlled demolition will have to take place to “pre-empt an uncontrolled collapse with the attendant risks to the public and damage to components of the pier”.

“Risk to the public from further collapse can not be discounted”, the report warns, “given the current perilous condition of the pier structure”.

At the meeting of the council’s cabinet at 2pm today , councillors will decide on the course of action to take. Since the pier began to collapse, there have been calls from pressure groups to ensure that what remains of the pier - a listed structure - can be saved .
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/colwyn-bay-pier-perilous-risk-12602197

[SteveH]

Plan to dismantle and store parts of Colwyn Bay pier backed by councillors.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/plan-dismantle-store-parts-colwyn-12604732

[Fester]

Plan to dismantle and store parts of Colwyn Bay pier backed by councillors.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/plan-dismantle-store-parts-colwyn-12604732

Or put another way..... 'convenient way to shut those up who want to restore it, and quietly get rid of the pier'
Politicians eh?

[DaveR]

Plan to dismantle and store parts of Colwyn Bay pier backed by councillors.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/plan-dismantle-store-parts-colwyn-12604732

Or put another way..... 'convenient way to shut those up who want to restore it, and quietly get rid of the pier'
Politicians eh?

It reminds me of the time the entire seaward end theatre at Brighton Palace Pier was dismantled and put into storage following storm damage...it was never seen again!

[Bosun]

Anyone who thinks that the pier is going to be restored now is totally delusional.

[Fester]

Sadly, it demonstrates how little power agencies like CADW have, and it makes a mockery of legislation covering Listed properties.
A dangerous precedent being set here for anyone wishing to demolish other national treasures.

[Quiggs]

I know where they can store it 'Arch Motors', it'll probably end up there anyway