Updated: West Bay Harbour wall repair works

UPDATE (Tuesday 12 March 2024): Phase 1 of our works to stabilise the harbour wall at West Bay is now complete, ahead of schedule.

Nearby kiosks can reopen from Wednesday 13 March, and The Mound car park will re-open end of Thursday 14 March.

The pathway will remain closed until phase 2 of the works - set to begin in winter 2024 - has been completed. Our engineers will continue to monitor the wall throughout.

Our construction team would like to thank local business owners, residents, and visitors, for their patience and understanding while these vital works were carried out.

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(Originally posted Monday 5 February 2024)

Dorset Council has confirmed it is getting ready to begin emergency repairs to Wall B at West Bay Harbour, as well as planning for long-term works at the end of the year.

Following ongoing assessment and monitoring, in recent months it has become clear the wall needs more significant repairs than first thought, initially requiring six weeks of urgent works to prevent the wall collapsing.

The emergency repairs involve installing 35 metres of steel sheet piling to the toe of Wall B and filling in any holes that have opened up.

Preparations will begin on Monday 19th February, with the repairs starting the following week. From Monday 26th February, the adjacent food and drink kiosks will close temporarily while works take place but reopen in time for the Easter holidays, provided the area is deemed to be safe.

The Mound car park will be shut during the works to allow for materials and construction equipment – including an excavator and large crane - to be kept at the site.

Access to the Esplanade, Jurassic Pier, Windy Corner café and Helmet City shop will be largely unaffected. The Harbour Master office will also remain open.

If the emergency works are successful in making the area safe, the food kiosks will be open as usual during the summer/autumn months. The footpath and toilets adjacent to the kiosks will remain closed, but temporary public toilet arrangements will remain in place.

There will then be a longer and more significant programme of works at the end of the year/early 2025 to construct a new wall, which – given the location and complexity of the works – may take up to 6 months to complete.

Council officers have been keeping the kiosk owners informed throughout and will be meeting with them each week to provide updates on the works and address any concerns. They will also continue to discuss options with the owners and liaise with Bridport Town Council as they consider the potential impacts to businesses during the longer works planned for next winter.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:

“We’ve been keeping an eye on this wall for many years now, balancing the need to maintain the harbour with the potential effect of works on West Bay’s businesses and tourist trade. But the time has come to take action to prevent further damage to the wall in the future and keep the area safe.

“Given the disruption to the kiosks in the area, it’s been vital to keep business owners up to date with our plans and I want to thank them for their input and understanding. Everyone involved appreciates the challenges of maintaining an historic asset such as the harbour, and I’ve every confidence our team will work efficiently and considerately to keep disruption to a minimum.

“West Bay is a beautiful part of Dorset, and its harbour attracts visitors from all over the country, so I’m pleased that we’re working to ensure the kiosks will be open in time for the peak holiday season. As soon as our plans for the new wall construction are ready, we’ll be sure to let everyone know.”