Southport Pier restoration moves towards steel replacement

Restoration work on Southport Pier is moving towards steel replacement on the landward section, with dismantling and site preparation now well advanced.

Sefton Council’s main contractor, AE Yates, has removed 27 lighting arches, along with the kiosk and halfway house. A third kiosk is currently being dismantled.

Scaffolding has been installed across the landward section to provide safe access for the removal of timber decking. Existing handrails, tramlines and mechanical and electrical services have also been taken away ahead of the next stage.

An access haul road and two large crane pads have been built elsewhere on the site. These will support the installation of new steel sourced in Britain.

Southport Pier has been closed since December 2022 after safety concerns were raised about its decking and steelwork. The Grade II-listed structure is 1,108 metres long and is one of the best-known landmarks on the Sefton coast.

“This is excellent progress and it represents an important step forward in the restoration of Southport Pier.

“Like all building projects of any scale, careful preparation needed to be undertaken to make way for new materials to be installed.

“The start of steel replacement work later this month will be a particularly significant milestone. I want to thank everyone working on this complex project for the progress they have made.”

Councillor Marion Atkinson, Leader of Sefton Council, said the work represented progress on the project.

“A great deal has been achieved on site over recent weeks, including the removal of decking, structural elements and services, as well as the creation of the specialist access and crane areas needed for the next phase.

“These enabling works are essential to delivering the restoration safely and effectively. We are pleased with the progress made and are now preparing to begin replacing steelwork on the landward section of the pier.”

AE Yates project manager Dale Cunniffe said the company was preparing for the steelwork phase.

A more detailed interview with AE Yates is available in Episode 3 of Sefton Council’s MySefton News Podcast. The council has said it will continue to publish updates as the restoration programme progresses.