Steps are at last being taken to repair a historic pier which collapsed into the River Medway just weeks after funding had been earmarked to restore it to its former glory.

The broken portion of Rochester Pier, known as the brow, has been half submerged in the muddy bank since it came apart in May last year.

Removing it from the river paves the way for the long-term project to make the pier safe and return it to public use.

Janet Davies, head of regeneration at Medway Council, said: “We will soon be carrying out works to remove the collapsed section of Rochester Pier.

“We are continuing to explore options for restoring the pier and to improve access to and from the River Medway.”

Surveyors have been on-site and the work is due to start at the end of this month.

Inspectors declared the structure unsafe and the council, which is responsible for its maintenance, closed it in 2019.

As it fell into disrepair, it finally broke under the strain of an early morning tide change and has looked a sorry sight on the Esplanade ever since.

Volunteers from the Friends of Rochester Churchfields and Esplanade (FoRCE) have taken an active interest in the structure and have been keen to secure its future.

Members of FoRCE said at the time they hoped the collapse would galvanise people into action to get it back in use as a working pier.

Kristian Hansen,FoRCE committee member, said: “We now expect that, within weeks, work will start on what we hope will be the first stage of a full restoration and reopening of the pier.

“Our friends and members have been telling us for some time that regaining access to the historic fixed structure is something they care about, and have expressed concern about the effect of the broken section on the view from the Esplanade and the health of the river

“We had hoped that access to the fixed pier for our volunteers to assist with restoration work would be possible in the foreseeable future, but an analysis of the structure has revealed that significant repair work is needed before it is safe.

“Nonetheless, we’re encouraged to know that the project is moving forward and the council is committed to exploring options for the pier’s future.”

He added that funding and enacting the restoration will be a collective effort between local organisations and trusts, and FoRCE looks forward to being part of this effort, with a view to returning the pier to public use.

“We’re interested in the council’s thoughts on making the pier financially self-sustaining, and we anticipate an active role for our volunteers in maintaining the pier when it eventually reopens,” he said.

Shortly, yhe conservation group will be publishing its intentions and aspirations in a document entitled “Rochester Pier: Our Vision for the Future”.

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