Argyll and Bute Council has appointed contractors to take forward over £2 million of vital works to save Dunoon’s iconic Victorian-era pier and refurbish its buildings.

Glasgow-based civil engineering company George Leslie Ltd has been awarded the £1.7m contract for Phase 1A, the repairs to the substructure. The firm will repair, through a unique new encapsulation method that not only protects timber piles from aggressive saltwater environments and marine animals but also strengthens deteriorated piles with a durable, light-weight and non-corrosive reinforcement, 27 of the pier’s timber piles. A further 46 are set to be replaced in a like-for-like fashion.

The decking along the pedestrian access to the pier, its southern arm, will be lifted, repaired and replaced while existing handrails will be redecorated, with new matching ones being installed along the pierhead. These new rails will replace the unsightly steel barriers, meaning the barrier between the public area and the area to be refurbished as part of the second phase is more in keeping with the surroundings.

The Phase 1B element, the building refurbishment, will be taken forward by W.H. Kirkwood Ltd of Greenock, and will see just over £500,000 spent on the former waiting room and harbourmaster’s office.

The contractor is currently preparing the schedule of work while the council liaises with Historic Scotland to finalise the details of the waiting room refurbishment to ensure we comply with listed building regulations and associated approvals. The building will be refurbished to provide two separate but connected multi-functional spaces in what were the 1st and 3rd class waiting rooms. The heating, lighting and ventilation systems will be upgraded to modern standards, with repairs to the existing flooring including a new vinyl covering. The rotten window frames are set to be repaired, with any broken panes of glass replaced, and new toilets being installed in what was the central foyer as well as new access ramps. The building will also be redecorated throughout.

The harbourmaster’s office will also be redecorated throughout, with new signage and gates being installed at the public access point to the pier.

Works are set to begin in May, with the building renovation by the end of the summer and the structural repairs by the autumn. The public should be able to gain access to key areas of the pier by the end of the year.