Other Pier Proposals

There have been countless other schemes dreamed up for the Pier most never even got as far as planning applications, and remained firmly in the mind of its designer. The clackity clack sound of the pier trains trundling down the pier were going to become a thing of the past, with proposals to scrap the trains and replace them with an "Aerobus" in 1974, advert from the 1973 Town Guide. The Aerobus was not the only proposal to scrap the trains and replace them with a new transport system. There was also a scheme in 2000 to replace the trains with a cable car system that would have stations at the pier head, the shore station and then in the high street. The section of the pier where the train runs would have been converted in to a walkway.

Southend-on-Sea

The Southend Bubble was proposed in the 1980s it was renamed Southend Dome before the plan burst!

Cable car artist impression

The proposed "Waves" pier head pavilion of 1997 estimated costs were £4million

There have also been a number of proposals to rebuild the pier head, these three are all based on the same building.

In 2009 Southend Borough Council ran a Pier Head design competition open to any company that wanted to submit a design to re- build the pier head. A cash prize of £6000 was on offer to the winning designer. 74 companies sent designs, a short list was drawn up: HOK, Hugh Broughton Architects with Land Use Consultants, SKM and Spiers and Major Associates, LandLab with Ushida Findlay Architects, Atkins Bennett and United Creatives, White arkitekter, Wilkinson Eyre Architects with Schonherr Landscape and Conisbee. The winner was White Arkitekter.

HOKs design The proposals put forward by HOK (who had designed Arsenals Emirates Stadium) included a Restaurant in the main building along with a number of artists "pods" perched on the side of the pier.

Ushida Findlay Design The proposals put forward by Ushida Findlay were an ambitious proposal for a major re-building of the pier head, to be built in a phased scheme as and when additional funding was available, the proposals even included a Pier Head beach!

Hugh Broughton Proposals The proposals put forward by Hugh Broughton included artists' studios, café and a "cultural icon." They also suggested that fishing be expanded by renting out fishing rods, and giving tuition.

Wilkinson Eyre Proposals The proposals put forward by Wilkinson Eyre included a 30 metre diameter sphere at the pier head built from steel, it also included an amphitheatre with a central stage and a café, a multi-purpose room over looking the Estuary was also included.

Advert from the 1973 Town Guide

Pavilion planned in 2000

White Arkitekter winning design for the Pier Head.