Year-long harbour walls work to start this winter

The council said parts of the seawalls were already starting to fail

Work to replace two main harbour walls is set to begin this winter.

The programme of work to replace the two main walls supporting the peninsula in Weymouth, Dorset, will start in early 2025, and is expected to take about a year to complete.

Jon Andrews, Dorset Council cabinet member for place services, said the current walls, built in 1977, put the future stability of the peninsula "at risk", and that minor sinkholes had appeared where the structures were "already failing".

There will be temporary traffic lights in place for the first phase of the work, as well as restricted access to the pavilion car park and a closure of a small part of the beach.

Part of the car park and walkway are already fenced off because of the sinkholes, Mr Andrews said.

In January 2024, the previous administration estimated the project to replace the walls could cost up to £10.5m, most of which would come from a £19.5m fund from the government to regenerate Weymouth's waterside economy.

Dorset Council said it hoped the final cost would be less than the original estimate.

The council said part of the pavilion car park would be closed to the public during the work

The new walls will be higher than the current ones to protect the peninsula against predicted sea level rise until 2100, Dorset Council said.

A raised public walkway will be built behind the walls once they are complete.

The work will take place between 07:30 and 17:00 Monday to Friday, and Dorset Council said work requiring hammering would be kept to a minimum.

The council said that once the work started, information sessions would be held for residents.

Mr Andrews said they had "designed the programme to lessen the impact as much as possible to local people, visitors and businesses".