Tidal sea pool project set to get council support

Isle of Wight Sea Pool has been working on the project since September 2023

A group behind a tidal sea pool on the Isle of Wight coast look set to get support for their project from the council.

Isle of Wight Sea Pool wants to build within the sea defences at Yaverland, Sandown, on a 70-metre stretch of foreshore owned by Isle of Wight Council between two existing groynes and the sea wall

The group has asked the council for a Letter of Intent so it can pursue funding for the pool and move the plans to the next stage.

The council's policy, finance and resources committee will make a decision on Thursday.

The sea pool at Yaverland could be built on the sandy beach within two groynes

Isle of Wight Sea Pool said a charity would be set up to run and maintain the pool if it gets the go-ahead.

It said if funds, permissions and approvals were in place by 2028 work to build the pool would be carried out alongside the Yaverland sea defences refurbishment in 2030.

The new tidal sea pool, described as "Olympic sized and accessible", would also be the first of its kind to be built in the UK in a century, according to the group.