The historic Pier, which dates back to 1900 and originally included a 2500 seater auditorium, was one of the last piers to be built along the Welsh coast and is one of only six that still stands in some form today. Sadly the Victoria Pier has faced many issues since it was first built, including two fires and extensive storm damage. The pier was last closed to the public in 2004 and began to collapse in the sea in 2017. After that, what remained of the pier was dismantled in 2018 for safety reasons.
Since it was built, the pier has been extended several times. However, the restored pier has been rebuilt to the same footprint as it was in 1900 when it first opened.
The pier restoration was built into the plans of the town’s extensive regeneration plan and won Heritage Lottery Funding. Work started in October 2019 but was delayed due to the first lockdown of 2020.
Restoring many original features of the original version, including decorative ironwork that survived the fires and other damage over the years, the pier has achieved grade II-listed building status.
The project, led by the Colwyn Bay Victoria Pier Trust, aims to make the restored pier more sustainable, in order to ensure that it can be enjoyed by many generations to come. So when it came to selecting sustainable materials for the decking, they opted for EcoChoices FSC certified Angelim Vermelho, or Red Angelim.
Red Angelim is a strong and durable timber, making it perfect for marine projects such as this one. It’s so durable that it can outlast other hardy construction materials such as steel and concrete since it will not corrode; it’s also so heavy it will sink in water. Unfortunately, Angelim is considered a vulnerable tree due to extensive exploitation in the Amazon over the years. It grows in South Amerca’s tropical forests which have been hit hard by illegal deforestation. For this reason, it’s important when sourcing hardwoods such as Angelim Vermelho that it comes from sustainable, independently certified sources such as FSC Certified Forests.
The forest stewardship council (FSC) is a not-for-profit organisation set up to promote responsible management of the world’s rainforests. This ensures the wood we buy comes from sustainably managed forests and not from illegal logging. So when selecting timber, make sure it is from a FSC certified source to help protect the rainforests so they can be there for generations to come.
The Angelim decked area at Victoria Pier measures just over 500m2 and consists of 25x90mm decking, supported by 100×300 joists.
On July 14th 2021, the new truncated pier opened to the public as part of the town’s visual regeneration project for everyone to enjoy. Colwyn councils chairman, Councillor Abdul Khan, said on opening the pier, “By constructing this pier, we acknowledge the legacy of the Victorian engineers and also provides a focus for people to relive their many happy memories at this site.”