Work is soon to start on the steel frame work of Cromer Pier. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

A major revamp of Cromer’s landmark seafront is set to get under way this year when work finally begins on repairing its iconic pier and ancient tidal defences.

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The projects - which total nearly £8m - have been in the running for years but a contractor has now been lined up to begin repairing the Victorian jetty, and another step has been taken in securing funding for the sea defence scheme.

North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), which is spearheading the long-awaited projects, is poised to receive £6.5 million to shore up the town’s groynes and add concrete armour to its sea walls - some of which date back to Victorian times.

The bid for funding from the Environment Agency has passed the first hurdle and is now set to go before a board for final approval.

Angie Fitch-Tillett, portfolio holder for the coast at NNDC, said she was “keeping everything crossed” ahead of the board meeting next month.

If the money is approved the two year overhaul is hoped to begin in November 2012 and will prolong the defences for a further 50 years.

By this time it is hoped the £1.1 million repair project to the pier will be well under way.

Contractors are set to begin working in June to repair the historic jetty’s legs and supporting metal framework - which have taken a pounding from the North Sea - as well as revamping the wooden boards trod by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

The project - which was initially planned to start last autumn - has stalled as NNDC has had to put the project out to tender twice.

Mrs Fitch-Tillett said the delays had not effected the work’s final bill and the authority was now pushing the scheme forward as “fast as we can”.

“We all appreciate how important the pier is, not just to Cromer but it’s iconic throughout the district,” she added.

NNDC has said there will be “minimal disruption” to the tourist attraction throughout the 16 months of work and the Pavilion Theatre and lifeboat station will remain open.

The repairs will be halted over the busy summer period between July and August and during the harsh weather in December and January, but once finished are expected to give the pier another 20 years of life.

The council has set aside £1.3m for the work but the proposed tender is expected to come in £200,000 under this figure. The “spare” cash will go into a contingency fund as the project is expected to throw up many “uncertainties”.

Pier manager Ian Hall said he and his staff would be liaising with NNDC and contractors to keep disruption to a minimum but it would be “business as usual” during the work.

He added: “The main thing is the public can come down and enjoy the pier as per normal.”

Mrs Fitch-Tillett thought tourists would appreciate the overhaul, despite any disruption it could cause, as it would show the iconic landmark was being looked after.

“In some ways it’s not a bad thing for tourists to see because it brings home to them the difficulties we do face with something in the marine environment,” she said.

“She’s a dear old lady and she’s showing her signs of age and she needs sorting out.”