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 385844 times)

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Offline Ian

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #660 on: November 14, 2014, 08:17:10 am »
Quote
In due respect to Viv, I don't think it is as easy as that Ian,  I stumbled around a bit before placing my vote.   For the uninitiated, it's not always obvious where you 'click' to place your vote.

It seems not. I suspect a setting has been (inadvertently) changed, so I'll potter about and see what's happened. Meanwhile, apologies, viv.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #661 on: November 14, 2014, 08:24:27 am »
Viv: this is what you ought to be seeing in the Poll panel:

[smg id=3304]

The options are clearly shown and there's a fairly prominent 'submit' button in blue.  If you're not seeing that, however, it might be because you've already voted and forgotten, or because someone else has voted under your name. I logged in as an ordinary member and that's what I saw.

Oops - nearly forgot.  For ME...
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.


Offline mull

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #662 on: November 14, 2014, 08:45:58 am »
Fester "stumbled around a bit".
Was this after the visit to Conway ?

Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #663 on: November 14, 2014, 08:55:10 am »
Fester "stumbled around a bit".
Was this after the visit to Conway ?
I suspect it may have been...  :laugh:

Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #664 on: November 19, 2014, 10:26:45 am »
The saga continues...

£8.5m Lottery funding bid to save Colwyn Bay Pier
Published date: 19 November 2014 | Published by: Dean Jones

FINAL preparations are being made to an £8.5 million funding application which could save the derelict Colwyn Bay pier.

Campaigners are finalising the Heritage Lottery Fund application to transform the pier, a move backed by Colwyn Bay Town Council, which signed a “memorandum of understanding” to enter a partnership with the Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust in regards to the application.

Cllr John Reaney, chair of the Policy and Finance Committee, said the council had voted to support the “business aspect” of the proposal, but they were waiting to see the full facts before deciding whether or not the application was financially viable for the area.

He said: “We have twice voted in support of this application, but we need to get all the facts and figures before we can explain to whether or not the proposal is going to benefit the area financially.

“There is undoubtedly a great deal of work that needs to be done and it is quite a divisive issue, so while we have agreed to support the proposal, it would be difficult to commit to a finalised plan until the full application has been seen.”

Trust members have been working with members of the Hastings Pier Trust during the formation of the application, who generated £15 million to save the town’s pier through various funding avenues.

A decision on the Heritage Lottery Fund Application could be made as early as April, 2015.

The final court hearing in the ownership row over the pier between Conwy County Council and businessman Steve Hunt was adjourned until November 26 and 27.

The case was pushed back several months during what was due to be a three-day High Court hearing in August.

Conwy Council was awarded a £5 million “in principle” grant from the HLF in 2013, but councillors rejected the grant and instead voted for demolition in December.


http://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/140914/-8-5m-lottery-funding-bid-to-save-colwyn-bay-pier.aspx

Offline SteveH

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #665 on: November 19, 2014, 12:48:26 pm »
Best of luck to them... ££$  I am surprised the poll has not had more votes  34 out of 1134 members hardly a good turnout.....maybe it needed a fourth option....

Offline viv

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #666 on: November 21, 2014, 04:55:29 pm »
The court case in Cardiff to make a final decision on the Pier case has again been adjourned today as Steve Hunt has put in another appeal.

Offline Tom Davidson

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #667 on: November 21, 2014, 05:50:48 pm »
Bureaucracy in action.
After all what is time, a mere tyranny.

Offline Michael

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #668 on: November 22, 2014, 09:42:54 am »
 I once met Steve Hunt around about 8 years ago when he was still running the pier. I was subjected to a nonstop verbal assault directed at Conwy council. I more or less agreed with parts of what he was saying, but after an hour or so I had heard enough to last me a lifetime.
  Since then we have never met but, of course, I've followed all his manoeuvres in and out of court and become more and more disenchanted with him and his schemes as time has passed.
  Why in Heaven,s name cannot someone start some sort of proceedings that results in Mr Hunt paying for all these legal schnanigans out of his own no doubt empty pocket. Win or Loose. Mr hunt pays.
  Then perhaps we might all be able to move forward

Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #669 on: November 22, 2014, 10:09:39 am »
I once met Steve Hunt around about 8 years ago when he was still running the pier. I was subjected to a nonstop verbal assault directed at Conwy council. I more or less agreed with parts of what he was saying, but after an hour or so I had heard enough to last me a lifetime.
  Since then we have never met but, of course, I've followed all his manoeuvres in and out of court and become more and more disenchanted with him and his schemes as time has passed.
  Why in Heaven,s name cannot someone start some sort of proceedings that results in Mr Hunt paying for all these legal schnanigans out of his own no doubt empty pocket. Win or Loose. Mr hunt pays.
  Then perhaps we might all be able to move forward
Absolutely right, Mike. It's very apparent now that the future of the Pier itself is of no interest to him; it's purely a battle between himself and CCBC.

Offline norman08

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #670 on: November 22, 2014, 11:34:51 am »
Yes and this shower ccbc don,t care how much of Our money they waste .

Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #671 on: November 28, 2014, 12:35:14 pm »
Court case over future of Colwyn Bay Pier adjourned

Published date: 28 November 2014 |
Published by: Dean Jones

THE court case regarding the ownership of Colwyn Bay Pier has been adjourned.

Businessman Steve Hunt and Conwy County Council were set for a two-day hearing to decide the future of the Pier on Thursday at Cardiff County Court.

However, proceedings were once again delayed “due to separate proceedings being brought by Mr Hunt in respect of a bankruptcy issue against another party”, according to a Conwy Council spokesperson.

This is the latest in a series of delays surrounding the case, which was initially pushed back several months during what was to be a three-day High Court hearing in August.

Campaigners to save the Pier will be submitting their £8.5 million Heritage Lottery Fund application to transform the pier on Sunday, according to Victoria Pier Trust member Chris Hemmings.

It is a move that has been backed by Colwyn Bay Town Council, which signed a “memorandum of understanding” to enter a partnership with the trust in regards to the application.

Trust members have been working with members of the Hastings Pier Trust during the formation of the application, who generated £15 million to save the town’s pier through various funding avenues.

A decision on the Heritage Lottery Fund Application could be made as early as April, 2015.

Conwy Council was awarded a £5 million “in principle” grant from the HLF in 2013, but councillors rejected the grant and instead voted for demolition in December.

http://northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/141329/court-case-over-future-of-colwyn-bay-pier-adjourned.aspx

Offline BMD

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #672 on: January 08, 2015, 08:48:32 pm »
A presentation on plans for Colwyn Bay pier has been covered by the Pioneer's twitter feed in the last hour or so. Some highlights:

Change in Hastings "profound" since town won fight to save their pier. Steele: "This is a once in a lifetime choice." Bid £9.6m in total.

Heritage Lottery Fund team to visit Pier in second half of February. Decision to be made in April.

Aim to make Colwyn Bay Pier "a health pier for the 21st century".

Steele: "Colwyn Bay pier needs to be in the hands of a not for profit organisation." Huge economic benefits surrounding plans.

Health, fitness and beauty centre to be constructed at pier entrance. Cafe and restaurant in pavilion.

Steele: "columns are in a better state than those at Hastings. The cause is not too far gone."

If bid successful, work could begin on Pier as early as June 15.

Steele: "if successful this would reconnect the Pier and the town."

Conwy Council's estimate of £560,000 for professional fees "way off the mark" according to Steele, estimates at £220,000.

Demolition would be more than £1m estimate by Conwy Council to demolish Pier. Left out EU money due to "risk" associated.

Opportunity for public to "share ideas" on the Pier before April. Support could convince Heritage Lottery.

Cllr David Griffiths, raises car parking concerns, jokes about "unused" Porth Eirias site as possible parking location.

Trust say they have had support from all over the world to save the Pier.

Steele: "should bid be successful investors would take a different approach towards Colwyn Bay."


(The person referred to, who gave the presentation, is Jess Steele from Jericho Road Solutions, which apparently specialises in local community ownership and management of piers: http://www.jerichoroad.co.uk/peoples-piers.html)

https://twitter.com/NWPioneer


Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #673 on: January 08, 2015, 11:15:25 pm »
A cafe on the pier could well be open before the bistro in the skip!  :twoface:
A pigeon is for life not just Christmas

Offline DaveR

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Re: The long running saga of Colwyn Bay Pier
« Reply #674 on: January 13, 2015, 12:32:04 pm »
Victoria Pier demolition plans to go on public display

Published date: 13 January 2015
Published by: Matt Jones



Conwy County Borough Council will be submitting an application for permission to demolish the pier on health and safety grounds.

WITH substantial parts of Colwyn Bay's Victoria Pier at "serious risk of collapse", plans for its demolition will go on public display.

Later this month Conwy County Borough Council will be submitting an application for permission to demolish the pier on health and safety grounds.

Proposals will be on display between Monday, January 19 and Friday, January 23 between midday and 7pm in the Bay View Centre, opposite Argos.

A council spokesman said: "Consultant engineers have said Victoria Pier Colwyn Bay can no longer be considered stable and substantial parts of it are now at serious risk of collapse; with a recent independent report stating that 75 per of the structural parts have either visibly failed or have corroded so much they no longer provide the strength required.

"Members of the public are invited to view the proposals and find out more about the reasons behind the difficult decision to demolish."

The planning application and listed building consent application will request permission to remove all the decks, the balustrading and support structures, and the pavilion, but to leave 66 per cent of the cast iron columns in place.

It is s also proposed to raise the stone retaining walls to create a safe viewing point and develop a display about the Pier’s history.

A wider programme of community engagement and involvement to mark the history of the Pier is also proposed, so as to help mitigate its loss.

Cllr Dilwyn Roberts, leader of Conwy County Borough Council said: “We know that the Pier Trust hopes to restore the Pier and has submitted a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, but we have to prepare for the worst and at this point in time the Pier is a danger to the public and a significant drain on scarce public resources.

"In light of these the health and safety implications, we are submitting our application now, in parallel to the Pier Trust/Town Council HLF application.

“The exhibition aims to explain the background to the council’s difficult decision to demolish and shows the proposals that will be submitted to planning, including keeping the ornate columns standing on the beach.”

http://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/142930/victoria-pier-demolition-plans-to-go-on-public-display.aspx