North Yorkshire Council commits £800,000 to piers and lighthouse

Grade II listed Whitby west pier lighthouse has been deemed to be in a poor condition

Almost £800,000 is to be committed to essential improvement work to a lighthouse and piers on the North Yorkshire coast.

North Yorkshire Council said £543,000 would be spent on design work at Scarborough's lighthouse pier, which has been deemed at risk of failure.

A further £252,000 will be committed to the west pier lighthouse in Whitby, which is also in a poor condition.

The council said the work would prevent "continued deterioration".

Surveys have shown that the sheet piles, which provide support and protection from the sea, need replacing due to water corrosion at Scarborough's lighthouse pier, the council said.

The state of Whitby's Grade II listed West Pier lighthouse has meant is has been netted and the area around the base has been closed with barriers.

The sheet piles which support and protect Scarborough’s lighthouse pier need replacing

Executive member for harbours, Derek Bastiman, said: "Scarborough Harbour and the Whitby lighthouse are important and historic structures, so it is essential that we allocate a significant budget to ensure they are maintained and managed to a high standard."

He said any collapse would have "serious consequences" on access for vessels.

"Continued deterioration will impact on harbour operations, businesses and tourism," he added.

The harbours require an investment of £27 million to resolve all of the infrastructure challenges at both Whitby and Scarborough, the council said.

A total of £1.637m has already been secured to undertake works to Scarborough west pier inner harbour wall, following recent investigation works, and to finalise the design of a scheme to replace piles at the Eskside Wharf in Whitby.