Repair works beginning to strengthen West Bay harbour wall
This follows a week of preparation work on site by Dorset Council
Emergency repairs to one of the harbour walls at West Bay is due to get underway today (Monday 26th February), but it will mean some disruption for visitors.
Dorset Council says recent monitoring has found Wall B needs 'more significant repairs that first thought'.
Six weeks of work will take place to prevent the wall collapsing.
That'll involve installing 35 metres of steel sheet piling to the toe of Wall B and filling in any holes that have opened up.
But all that does mean the food and drink kiosks will close temporarily while works take place.
It's planned for them to reopen in time for the Easter holidays, provided the area is deemed to be safe.
The Mound car park will be shut during the works to allow for materials and construction equipment – including an excavator and large crane - to be kept at the site.
Access to the Esplanade, Jurassic Pier, Windy Corner café and Helmet City shop will be largely unaffected.
The Harbour Master office will also remain open.
What happens next?
If those emergency works prove successful, the food kiosks will be open as normal for the summer and autumn months.
But the footpath and toilets will remain closed, with temporary public toilets put in place.
A longer and more significant programme of works will then follow at the end of the year and into early 2025.
That'll be to construct a new wall, which may take up to 6 months to complete.
Council officers have been keeping the kiosk owners informed throughout and will be meeting with them each week to provide updates on the works and address any concerns.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:
“We’ve been keeping an eye on this wall for many years now, balancing the need to maintain the harbour with the potential effect of works on West Bay’s businesses and tourist trade. But the time has come to take action to prevent further damage to the wall in the future and keep the area safe.
“Given the disruption to the kiosks in the area, it’s been vital to keep business owners up to date with our plans and I want to thank them for their input and understanding. Everyone involved appreciates the challenges of maintaining an historic asset such as the harbour, and I’ve every confidence our team will work efficiently and considerately to keep disruption to a minimum.
“West Bay is a beautiful part of Dorset, and its harbour attracts visitors from all over the country, so I’m pleased that we’re working to ensure the kiosks will be open in time for the peak holiday season. As soon as our plans for the new wall construction are ready, we’ll be sure to let everyone know.”