West Hoe Pier not expected to survive this week’s storms
Big questions about the competence of “repairs” and of Plymouth Council
By The Captain, Beagle maritime correspondent
Back in April, I wrote:
“It continues to amaze this ‘ancient mariner’ why the seashore authorities (not just PCC!) fail to understand the power of the sea. Many of us will remember the saga of the …. the rebuilt (twice) steps down into the West Hoe Harbour, …. the sea swimming pool below Pier One, which was filled in & the concrete platform to the seaward side rebuilt – only for the platform to wash away in the first storm months later ….. none of these were subject to ‘Great Storms’ – just normal winter weather. I fear that those authorities that I am criticising will say ‘austerity’, ‘value for the public purse’ etc., but I suspect that the real reason is that repairs are funded from current spending & that the cheapest solution will usually therefore be chosen, whereas a better – more sea-resistant – job now, would almost certainly save money in the long-term (but that’s someone else’s problem).”
The West Hoe Pier is a Grade II listed building (Entry 1113299 on English Heritage’s website). This means that it is “designated for its special architectural or historic interest”. The pier’s datestone is 1880 and the little harbour was originally built so that stone could be shipped from the West Hoe quarry.
On 10th June, PCC issued a press release that said, in part:
“An arm of West Hoe pier is being fenced off as a safety measure ahead of repair work which is expected to start this summer…… The Council has been monitoring its condition for some time and commissioned a survey to review next steps. It has now received recommendations for the work, which will involve replacing various granite steps and blocks that have fallen away, refilling voids that have been created by the sea, repointing as well as replacing timber strakes. We are currently finalising the detail and programme of the work with a specialist marine engineering company.”
Sadly, it looks as if the works took too long a time to start – eventually, in the Autumn, scaffolding was put in place, the outside walls were repaired and then the scaffolding was removed. It seems that some of the ‘filling’ in the pier was removed and when storm Bram arrived on 9th December, the waves sucked more filling our – so the centre of the pier filled with water and eventually, the weight of water pushed the seaward wall out. The swell then ran against the inner wall, which lost one block.
By 1545 that afternoon (Wed 10th), the hole had opened up considerably (LH picture) and by this (Sunday 14th) morning, the hole was further enlarged and part of the steps had gone. I fear it will only need one period of rough weather and we will be left with the end of the pier standing alone. How long that will last, with water swirling all around it, is anybody’s guess.
To my concerns of April last, I could have added the tendency to do “too little, too late”, which I fear is what has happened to the West Hoe Pier. Even if the rest of the pier doesn’t collapse, the cost of repair will now greatly exceed the cost of the original ‘repair work’. As the old wives’ wisdom has it ‘ a stitch in time saves nine”.
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