Councillor claims Southport Pier ‘could be demolished’

28th April 2023

Claims have been made that a Sefton Councillor has openly said Southport Pier could be demolished.

The comments were made publicly at a meeting in Southport on Thursday night.

While the mention of demolition caused ‘distress’ to members of the public present, the claims have since been flatly denied by council chiefs.

The Pier has been closed since late 2022 after decking boards crumbled and it was declared unsafe.

The council have yet to officially confirm what they plan to do with the Pier and say they are awaiting a specialist survey.

While the council have remained tight lipped, one councillor went on record to say the pier may have to be demolished.

The comments, understood to have been made by a Formby councillor, were made at a meeting of the council’s planning committee.

Following the comments Sefton Council have confirmed to OTS News that there are no plans to demolish the pier.

Resident David Thomas was at the meeting and said he was shocked at what he heard.

He posted to Facebook group Stand Up For Southport to say “I was quite disturbed at this evenings planning meeting for the new Marine Lakes to hear one of the councillors say that the pier may have to be demolished!

”This cannot and must not be allowed to happen!

”Also speaking to a councillor after the meeting who rightfully wanted to know why the 3 million set aside for new wooden planks didn’t include funding for the steel structure?

“It will be a travesty if the pier has to be demolished!”