 The pier had a length of 1,115 feet (340 m) and a width of 310 feet (94 m) at the pierhead. It was built with cast iron threaded columns screwed into the seabed. The superstructure's ironwork was manufactured by Robert Laidlaw, featuring an "oriental" style. Upon opening, the pier was fitted with gas lamps with ornamental serpent designs, which had been directly influenced by similar examples inside the nearby Royal Pavilion. The pier had ornamental houses, two toll houses and glass screens at the pierhead to protect visitors from the weather. A New Scientist report covering Britain's piers called the pier Birch's "masterpiece".
