Following a competitive open tender process, Mackley was selected for its extensive experience in marine environments and heritage structures – expertise that will be vital in restoring this Grade II* Listed landmark, the only pier in the UK to connect to an island.

Our work on the pier structure is due to begin by the end of 2025 and is expected to take just over a year. The restoration will involve careful work on the pier’s 15 cast iron trestles and timber deck, preserving its historic character while ensuring safety and longevity.

This phase of the project has been made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund through the UK government’s Cultural Assets Fund, Historic England and North Somerset Council.

North Somerset Council, which purchased the pier in July 2023 at a sale price of £400k funded by the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Association), is overseeing the restoration, ensuring the project is delivered responsibly and sustainably. Alongside the pier restoration, works are progressing well on the land side phase with works including restoring buildings, creating visitor facilities and installing essential services and infrastructure for the whole site.

Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council’s cabinet member responsible for the Birnbeck Pier project, said: “It’s great to see momentum building with our project to restore Birnbeck Pier and Island. The first phase of work was completed at the end of last year, achieved within budget and ahead of schedule. Work on the landside phase is progressing well, and we look forward to Mackley starting on site later this year to restore the structure of our beloved old pier. The site has significant importance to our country’s heritage, and will once again realise huge economic benefit to the town and wider area.”

This landmark project will help regenerate Weston’s cultural and economic landscape, preserving a beloved coastal icon for future generations.

Mackley Managing Director, Ben Hamer commented, “We’re looking forward to working with all the supporters of the pier to bring this exciting vision to life.”

More information about the Birnbeck Pier Project can be found on North Somerset Council’s dedicated website page.

Mackley offered to donate the timber when they heard about the great work Men in Sheds does to tackle wellbeing in retirees, helping to reduce loneliness and combat social isolation by bringing people together to make, repair and repurpose at their community workshop.

Men in Sheds is a local voluntary group dedicated to improving mental and physical health through hands-on wood-working projects.

Mackley Contract Manager, Mike Clegg said:

“We’re proud to be involved in the refurbishment of Worthing Pier. Donating the old boardwalk, no longer fit for purpose, was the perfect way to honour its heritage, promote the value of recycling and support local wellbeing initiatives. The wood not only gives Men in Sheds a useful material to work with, but it also provides something that is uniquely linked to the heritage of the town that will carry meaning through its life.”

The Mackley lorry carrying the wood was met by several members of the Mackley team, a representative from Adur and Worthing Councils and councillor Dom Ford, Worthing’s cabinet member for communities, culture and leisure. They were welcomed by Robin Chapman, manager of Worthing Men in Sheds, and several of the ‘shedders’ who regularly meet at the workshop to work together on projects.

Manager Robin Chapman said: 

“Men in Sheds was set up to provide a safe environment for people to keep active mentally and physically. As a voluntary organisation, we rely on support to keep it going. This delivery provides us with lots of material that we can use to achieve our aims of creating craft pieces that we can sell at fairs. We are largely self-sufficient, so we need to generate funds in order to keep the group going.”

Following a tour, there was a chance to view some before / after pieces of the pier that had been planed back to expose the beautiful red hue of the wood. There was also an opportunity to see how the group re-use wood to make oiled coasters, hand-carved pens and wood-turned bowls. The items are used to fundraise, supporting both themselves and to help other charities and communities locally.

Cllr Dominic Ford said:

“It is fantastic to see the practical use to which the wood from the pier is benefitting the community through Men in Sheds.”

This is a critical time for the retirees group, who have been given notice to leave their current premises at Northbrook College because of site redevelopment. The group are searching for a new premises and reaching out to anyone who may be able to help them with this.

Shaun Cooper, Mackley’s project manager for pier restoration, said:

“Supporting Men in Sheds was important to the whole team. Worthing is our home turf and we have been involved with the pier for many years, covering refurbishment projects and maintenance work, but also the emergency repair works in December 2024.

“It’s great to see how a collaboration like this can bring benefit to so many people. I hope they find new premises and are able to continue the good work.”

The initiatives reflect Mackley’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, reuse, and supporting the communities where they work.

The Council, designers and our site teams have been working effectively since first contact to get the pier safe and open to the public as soon as possible. We have received positive feedback from the Council and the public on the work that has been completed so far and the Council has done an excellent job of keeping everyone informed of the progress through a dedicated web page with updates and answers to some of the questions people have. to keep everyone regularly updated with progress to make sure everyone understands what has happened so far.

Despite some dips in the good weather we had been having, we have been able to get the works underway at Worthing Pier, and the team has made great progress so far. Six 15m steel piles have been driven into the seabed, either side of the pier, further strengthened by capping and bracing. Steel support beams and 16.5m steel trusses on top will take the weight of the pier and enable the removal of the damaged piles and subsequent replacement.

The team has been working all hours of the days, nights and weekends, whenever the tide and weather has allowed and will continue to do so until we can get the pier open again.

It is an excellent example of Mackley’s emergency call out response and skilful engineering. The progress also shows what good, long term relationships with our clients can achieve when working together, as one big team.

Big thanks to the guys on site who have done such a great job on this high profile project, Lawrence Rogers, Gavin Heater, Elliott Young, Kevin Heater, Kevin Rowland, Lee Cant, Dean Halton, Max Downie and Mark Heron.

“Mackley is delighted to be given this opportunity to support the regeneration of this heritage Victorian structure, which continues the Council’s plans to create an improved social space and amenity to the east of the City.”

Ben Hamer, Mackley Managing Director

Mackley has a history of constructing iconic Brighton projects and a wealth of experience working on and near protected historic structures, we are looking forward to working with the Council and the people of Brighton & Hove.