Residents and the wider community can now formally comment on the plans to redevelop a subsiding section of the seafront in Swanage, Dorset, after the submission of two planning applications to Dorset Council.
The plans submitted for Sandpit Field, the Weather Station Field and The Spa beach huts by the landowner Swanage Town Council, follows a lengthy consultation process which started in 2023.
The final draft for the New Option scheme has been submitted for planning approval with the addition of a wide circular path around the extended Sandpit Field
Two applications submitted
Two plans have been developed to address the subsidence of the area – an essential cheaper scheme costing about £4.75 million and a more expensive enhanced scheme costing about £6.9 million.
Both schemes, referred to as the Green Seafront project, are fully funded after Dorset Council voted to make up the £2.5 million shortfall of the more expensive plan which is called the New Option.
Swanage Town Council says that while the more expensive scheme is preferred, both options have been submitted to provide flexibility and help manage future project costs while ensuring the necessary stabilisation works can proceed.
- New Option costing about £6.9 million – Ground stabilisation with enhanced replacement planting, demolition of WWII gun emplacement on Sandpit Field, stopping up and infilling of Walrond Road to create a continuous green space, creation of a plaza area and a seating area adjacent to Shore Road, a new vehicular emergency access in the south west corner of Sandpit Field, a new pedestrian access on the western edge onto De Moulham Road, accessibility improvements across the site, and 46 new beach huts
- Essential Option costing about £4.75 million – Ground stabilisation of the area with enhanced replacement planting, demolition of the WWII gun emplacement on Sandpit Field, retention of 6 of the existing beach huts and provision of 33 additional new beach huts
Under the New Option proposal, the lower section of Walrond Road will be filled in and will become the main pedestrian entrance to the extended Sandpit Field event space
The gun enplacement survived World War Two but looks unlikely to remain at Sandpit Field for much longer
World War Two gun emplacement
While many features of the schemes have been well publicised at community engagement events, these plans are the first look at what is actually proposed and could be constructed.
Both schemes include the same ground stabilisation work and replacement planting, however both plans controversially include the demolition of the World War Two gun emplacement – a standout feature of the area.
These types of buildings, constructed quickly at the beginning of the war, weren’t built to last and clearly the town council doesn’t believe this gun emplacement, which does attract some anti-social behaviour can be saved.
The Spa Cafe and beach huts in the 1950s had real character
The Spa beach hut area now lacks appeal as many of the buildings have been removed due to the subsidence and those that remain are not sympathetic to the style of a Victorian seaside town
One of the designs for the new beach huts which surprisingly lack the traditional look that most of those surveyed asked for
Plenty of inspiration for stylish traditional painted beach huts is available further along the coast at Avon Beach in Mudeford
New Spa beach hut design
Another controversial aspect of both schemes are the materials used to construct the new Spa beach huts.
Although public feedback clearly preferred traditional beach huts, the council has opted for composite cladding and UPVC double glazed windows which will never capture the 1920s beach hut look in this prominent seafront location.
There are four types of beach hut proposed, with the largest 2.5 metres by 4 metres. One of the beach hut designs has double glazed French doors. The back row of the huts will be accessible to wheelchair users.
The specification states that the steel framed huts will be clad with 80 millimetre thick composite coloured panels in a wood texture finish. It doesn’t state what colour.
A new entrance for emergency vehicles is proposed for the south west corner of Sandpit Field
Sandpit Field is an important space for events including the Swanage Carnival which has begun to set up
New entrances and perimeter path
The New Option incorporates additional features including filling in Walrond Road and creating a new seating and plaza area where the road currently joins Shore Road.
Also proposed are two new entrances – one for emergency vehicle access by the corner of Victoria Avenue and De Moulham Road, and a new main pedestrian entrance from De Moulham Road where Walrond Road currently is.
Brand new to the proposal is a two metre wide path which runs around the edge of the event space. While this creates an accessible path for wheelchair access it also creates additional hard landscaping in a predominantly grassed area.
The planning applications include a number of technical reports about the subsidence which has caused cracks to appear in walls
The area needs to be stabilised if it’s not to remain fenced off
Comment on the planning applications
Anyone can comment on the proposals via the Dorset Council planning portal.
- New Option – P/FUL/2026/03658
- Essential Option – P/FUL/2026/03657
If planning permission is granted the aim is to start work in autumn/winter 2027.
Planning permission for changes to Shore Road will be submitted at a later date by the Dorset Council highways team.
Further information
- Background to the Green Seafront project
