A funding application for a development grant to work up proposals for a multimillion pound bid to save Colwyn Bay Pier has been rejected.
The town’s Victoria Pier is the subject of a dispute between Conwy County Council, which wants to demolish the ageing structure, and Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust, which wants to redevelop it for community use. The Trust, working with the Bay of Colwyn Town Council, submitted a bid to the Heritage Lottery in the hope of securing around half a million pounds worth of funding to work up their case to restore the pier, but have been told this week that their application has been unsuccessful.
Clwyd West AM Darren Millar, who earlier this year called on the Welsh Government to assure that no decisions about the future of the pier were made until the outcome from the Heritage Lottery Fund bid, has expressed his disappointment at today’s news.
He said:
“I am extremely disappointed by this decision. This was effectively the last chance saloon for the Trust whose efforts in trying to save the pier have been incredible.
“The pier has been an eyesore on the waterfront in Colwyn Bay for far too long and is letting the town’s regeneration efforts down, but given the importance of the pier to the heritage of Colwyn Bay and the prominent position it has on the local waterfront, many will be very sorry to see it go.
“I will now be calling on the Trust and the town council to work with Conwy County Borough Council to safeguard any heritage that can be protected should the local authority’s application for demolition of the structure succeed.”
Picture Caption: Clwyd West AM Darren Millar at Colwyn Bay Pier