Poll

What should be done with Colwyn Bay Pier?

Demolish it
Carry out basic renovation (spend up to £5m)
Carry out comprehensive renovation, including all buildings (spend up to £10m)

Author Topic: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier  (Read 385845 times)

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Offline Fester

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #690 on: April 29, 2015, 12:51:37 pm »
What does Lottery grant funding have to do with politics?
Fester...
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Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #691 on: April 29, 2015, 02:50:59 pm »
What does Lottery grant funding have to do with politics?
Hopefully, nothing. Just a nonsense rule that is in place.


Offline alw

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #692 on: May 20, 2015, 07:01:44 am »
Things are never so bad that they can't get worse.

I never said it was your fault; I said I was blaming you.

Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #693 on: May 20, 2015, 07:37:00 am »
Thanks very much CCBC!  &shake&
A pigeon is for life not just Christmas

Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #694 on: May 20, 2015, 08:57:21 am »
It's extremely disappointing that the actions of CCBC have led to the failure of this Lottery bid. It was they that desperately wanted to buy the Pier and restore it a few years ago, and made much play of what an important Listed Building it was.

As it is, instead of the local economy receiving an injection of millions of pounds of lottery funding, we will most likely have to bear the cost of demolition, that will COST the taxpayer well over a million pounds.

This is what happens when you have CCBC Management who have spent their careers in the public sector, not a shred of business acumen there.  &shake&

Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #695 on: May 20, 2015, 09:40:42 am »
Colwyn Bay pier's future in doubt after Heritage Lottery Fund rejects £9.6m redevelopment grant bid
00:05, 20 MAY 2015
BY DAVID POWELL


Lottery chiefs have blamed a lack of “strong support” from Conwy Council for rejecting a £9.6m bid to redevelop Colwyn Bay’s Victoria Pier.

The Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust had wanted to transform the 115-year-old, Grade II listed structure into an educational and health hub and can re-apply for a Lottery grant.

But Heritage Lottery Fund chiefs, who had visited the pier on a fact finding exercise earlier this year, blamed stiff competition and an absence of municipal support.

Clwyd West MP David Jones called the news “desperately disappointing” and claimed Conwy Council’s “lukewarm approach” was partly responsible for the rejection.

Conwy Council, which is in a dispute with Steve Hunt over ownership, said the pier was a “high risk” project.

In her decision, Carole Souter, HLF chief executive, said: “HLF takes its role of investing National Lottery players’ money extremely seriously and we only support projects that we are confident can deliver long-term benefits.

“Unfortunately, we have not had a clear enough indication of strong support from Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC).

“In light of this as well as the absence of other confirmed financial support and the potential for increased costs, the application was deemed high risk.”

But she offered an olive branch.

“Should the Trust wish to reapply, we would be keen to encourage them to pursue greater involvement from CCBC.”

David Jones MP said it was desperately disappointing but Conwy County Borough Council’s “lukewarm approach” to the bid was a significant cause of the HLF’s rejection of it.

Now he says the council is in a quandary as it has still not concluded its litigation with Steve Hunt over the pier’s ownership. Until that is clarified, it cannot deal with the pier.

Mr Jones said the council is seeking permission from Cadw to demolish, but it is far from certain that that will be granted whilst there is local support for restoration.

He added: “Even if consent were granted, demolition would be at enormous cost to council taxpayers. In the meantime, the pier remains a worsening eyesore in what is otherwise an improved waterfront.”

Conwy Council Leader, Cllr Dilwyn Roberts, said HLF and Conwy County Borough Council both “clearly identified” that the project is high-risk, largely due to the absence of other confirmed financial support and the potential for increasing costs.

The council will continue to seek to demolish the pier through its planning process.

But a spokesman for Steve Hunt said he believes Land Registry documents prove he owns the pier. He believes that Conwy Council can’t seek to de-list the pier because the pier has to be offered for sale and the council doesn’t own it, he claims.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/colwyn-bay-piers-future-doubt-9290819

Offline Fester

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #696 on: May 21, 2015, 01:48:22 pm »
W- anchors!
Fester...
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Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #697 on: June 04, 2015, 09:16:43 am »
Planning Application submitted for the demolition of Colwyn Bay Pier:
http://goo.gl/cL79zD

It's revealed that the cost of demolition will be £1,500,000. Add in to that the money that CCBC have spent on security, legal costs etc and you have a bill to the taxpayer of well over £2m, with no positive outcome in terms of protection of a listed building, any jobs created etc.

It's also amazing that CCBC's main argument for demolition appears to be that the Pier cannot have a self sustaining future, whilst at the same time pouring millions into the unwanted Porth Eirias building just 100 metres away - another structure that will never make a penny profit yet is apparently thought to be worth keeping?

Offline SteveH

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #698 on: June 04, 2015, 05:41:52 pm »
There would appear to be a lot of pier left after the proposed demolition, considering the cost......CCBC could contribute the £1.500.000 to the rescue fund.  :laugh:


Offline Fester

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #699 on: June 04, 2015, 06:04:39 pm »
There will never be any shortage of breeze-block and steel/glass buildings being 'thrown' up.
But, there will never, ever be any Victorian iron piers built again.
What a tragic and destructive era we are now living in.    :'( &shake& &shake&
Fester...
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Offline SteveH

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #700 on: June 04, 2015, 06:28:14 pm »
There will never be any shortage of breeze-block and steel/glass buildings being 'thrown' up.
But, there will never, ever be any Victorian iron piers built again.
What a tragic and destructive era we are now living in.    :'( &shake& &shake&

Well summed up... I still do not understand their decision.

Offline peterh

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #701 on: June 04, 2015, 07:20:58 pm »
To retain the pillars and demolish the rest will leave an eyesore and a job half done. Are the retained pillars going to be fenced off from the beach to stop people or children trying to climb to the top of them? Does it not make sense that if the pier has to be demolished as it seems to be the case then surely the pillars should also be removed leaving then a clear open beach from Rhos Point to Port Eirias?

Offline norman08

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #702 on: June 04, 2015, 07:52:48 pm »
What a right shower of Sh??te we have on ccbc ,do they reckon that is the way they get round the listed building thing leaving the stantions there .

Offline SteveH

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier END OF THE PIER SHOW?
« Reply #703 on: June 04, 2015, 08:31:19 pm »
Colwyn Bay Pier demolition plans to go before councillors

Conwy council's planning committee will be asked to approve plans to pull down the 115-year-old Victoria Pier, but final aproval lies with the Welsh Government.
Controversial plans to finally demolish a 115-year-old pier will go before a council next week.

Conwy County Council will seek to pull down Colwyn Bay’s Victoria Pier at its planning meeting on Wednesday.

However, even if the council decides to approve plans to dismantle the Grade II listed structure, Welsh Government ministers will have the final say.
Council officers believe the cost of sustaining and refurbishing the Victorian structure cannot be justified in the current financial climate.
A report to councillors explained 76 stanchions - the vertical columns supporting the pier - would be retained and the existing sea wall would be extended across the former entrance.

A vision of what could be put in its place was revealed last year when the council floated the idea of projecting an image of what the pier looked like in the early 1900s onto netting suspended above the sea wall.
The plans come after Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust failed in a bid to win Heritage Lottery cash last month, with the funding organisation intimating a lack of support from the county council affected the decision.
Victoria Pier is one of only 31 surviving open-structure piers with iron columns in the UK.

Ownership wrangles, as well as battles with the council over the sustainability of the site, have led to neglect.
isputed engineers’ reports from the Pier Trust and on behalf of the council have given differing views on the structure’s viability.

A survey of public opinion by both the Pier Trust and Conwy County Council revealed overwhelming local support for refurbishment.
Estimates on the cost of demolition range from £800,000 to £2m, and it could take up to nine months to fully complete the work.
A floating pontoon could be used to support demolition work, enabling work to continue in different tidal conditions.
If planners approve the proposals before them at next week’s meeting, the final say will be given to Welsh Government ministers, who will seek opinions from Cadw and other interested parties.

The planning meeting takes place at Bodlondeb at 2pm on Wednesday.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/colwyn-bay-pier-demolition-plans-9393090

Offline Ian

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #704 on: June 04, 2015, 09:53:26 pm »
Quote
Conwy County Council will seek to pull down Colwyn Bay’s Victoria Pier at its planning meeting on Wednesday.

By themselves? Or will some of the officers help?
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

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