With parts of the seafront in Swanage, Dorset, subsiding due to ground slippage, residents are to be consulted on new proposals for saving the area from collapse and enhancing the promenade, and it could include closing Shore Road to traffic.
Sandpit Field, the Weather Station Field and the Spa beach hut terrace, which run parallel to Shore Road and the seafront, provide green open spaces for events like the Swanage Carnival and for people to relax away from the beach, but geological surveys show that future use of the area is at risk.
The new £6.5 million enhanced scheme
The £4.5 million esssential option
New £6.5 million compromise proposal
In 2023, two options were proposed for stabilising what Swanage Town Council likes to call the Green Seafront – an essential scheme costing at the time £4 million and an enhanced scheme costing an eye watering £11 million.
Following the consultation in 2023, just under half of those who gave feedback (43.6 percent) backed the essential scheme, while just over half (51.1 percent) wanted to go ahead with the enhanced option, with the remainder selecting ‘don’t know’.
Now Swanage Town Council has come up with a compromise option costing £6.5 million, which stabilises the area, makes it more accessible for those using wheelchairs and prams, expands the space for events by filling in Walrond Road, provides a new toilet block, and refurbishes and extends the Spa beach hut area so there are 48 beach huts in total.
Cracks are beginning to show as the ground movement increases
This path has sunk down and the scaffolding railings detract from the beauty of the bay
Rejuvenate Spa beach huts
In addition to the revenue which the beach huts would raise, the new scheme provides the potential to generate income from a concession which could offer refreshments or other services.
The plans also include a small event space which could be registered for weddings, bringing in further income for the town council.
The essential scheme which stabilises the area, replaces the planting, and provides additional beach huts creating a total of 35 in the same style as the existing, is still on the table, but the cost has now been increased to £4.5 million for delivery in autumn 2026.
The number of Spa beach huts has been reduced due to safety issues
With new semi detached houses just behind this area on the market for £2.25 million each, this concrete wasteland has considerable development potential for desirable beach huts
The views are priceless
The finances
Swanage Town Council currently has £3.65 million set aside to fund the works to the Green Seafront.
- £1.7m: Capital receipts reserve
- £1.7m: Earmarked reserves
- £0.25m: Community infrastructure levy (CIL)
It is estimated that a further £200,000 may be available from gains made on the disposal of investments. This leaves a potential shortfall in funding of £65,000 if the essential scheme is chosen or £2.65 million if the new compromise scheme is preferred.
The council says it has actively sought sources of external funding towards this project and is continuing to do so, but opportunities are extremely limited.
However if it doesn’t create the plans and get the support of the local residents, it won’t achieve anything. Only by harnessing the power of the people of Swanage does the council stand a chance of persuading anyone to offer any grant funding.
So this is why this consultation is taking place now, despite the shortfall in funding, to get the expressed opinion of locals, visitors and anyone else who cares about Swanage.
The wartime lookout is starting to corrode and is sadly unlikely to survive any of the stabilisation works but it will be documented for future generations
Swanage Town Council says there are no plans to remove any trees in any of the options
Shore Road proposals
Following the initial consultation in 2023, one of the main issues raised was Shore Road and the battle for space between vehicles, parked cars, and pedestrians.
Swanage is one of the few seafront towns along the South Coast which doesn’t have a wide promenade to stroll along, next to the beach.
In fact, the pavement is so narrow at points that two prams or wheelchairs cannot pass each other, and pedestrians risk being hit by parked car doors being opened across the pavement.
So not unsurprisingly, the message from many who took part in the last public consultation was to sort out Shore Road as part of the Green Seafront project. However this required cooperation from Dorset Council which is responsible for the highway.
Fortunately, the strength of opinion from residents swayed Dorset Council to get involved and it has allocated half a million pounds towards making improvements to Shore Road.
This money has covered the cost of the consultation plans and will go some way to instigating a new scheme, but it will not cover the whole cost. Additional grant funding will have to be applied for.
The cost of any changes to Shore Road will be in addition to the costs to stabilise the Green Seafront. The exact cost depends on the option chosen.
Imagine Shore Road with no vehicles, or perhaps just a one way lane and no parked vehicles…
Parked cars, pedestrians and two way traffic all jostle for space right next to the beach
The four road options
The stretch of Shore Road included in the consultation is from Ocean Bay to the junction with Victoria Avenue.
- Option 1: Full closure to public vehicles including no parking, dedicated cycle lanes, and very wide pavement areas. View option 1
- Option 2: One way closure with south bound traffic only, dedicated cycle lane, wide pavements on either side of the road, and no vehicle parking. View option 2
- Option 3: Two way traffic, relatively wide pavements on either side of the road, and no vehicle parking. View option 3
- Option 4: Do nothing (retain as it is)
For options 1, 2 and 3, Blue Badge parking will be provided along Victoria Avenue where it joins Shore Road.
The road plans are not fully detailed at this stage and modifications of options 1, 2 and 3 will be considered, depending on the consultation feedback and feasibility.
Victoria Avenue will stay and could provide Blue Badge parking
The enhanced scheme proposes filling in this stretch of Walrond Road and creating an area for a refreshment kiosk or similar, and new accessible toilets
“The seafront is really important”
Swanage town mayor Tina Foster said:
“Since the results of the last public consultation, we have been working to further develop the proposals based on the feedback you gave us. Council officers and councillors have now used these to shape this new round of public engagement.
“One key aspect of the feedback concerned pedestrian safety and access on Shore Road. We have been pleased to work closely with Dorset Council to develop the options. This has provided additional expertise and resources to achieve the best for Swanage.
“The seafront is really important, so please take the time to engage with us. We want to hear from you!”
One of the UK’s oldest weather stations will remain
The north end of the Green Seafront is already a quiet place for locals to escape a busy beach but it could get an accessible entrance, a new viewpoint, and a small event pavillion which could host weddings
Timeline
There are four engagement events planned during summer 2025 where the general public can find out more about the options and ask questions about the plans.
- Friday 30th May: Pop-up at the Swanage Market 8 am to 11 am and outside the Co-op 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm
- Tuesday 3rd June: The Focus Centre (formerly known as the day centre) on the High Street from 10 am to 2 pm
- Wednesday 4th June: The Mowlem, Shore Road, from 3.30 pm to 7.30 pm
The survey will close on Sunday 29th June 2025
From summer 2025 preferred options will be selected and funding explored.
Stabilisation works are scheduled to start autumn 2026 but subject to change.
