Harbour wall replacement at Weymouth Peninsula to start this month

A significant programme of work to replace and strengthen the two main harbour walls which support the peninsula in Weymouth is starting on 13 October and is likely to take 10 months to complete.

Recent inspections show the walls of the peninsula to be in very poor condition. As such, they need to be replaced urgently to prevent failure.

The current walls, known as F and G, were last repaired in 1977 by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council. They will be replaced with new walls which will be installed in front of the existing wall.

The new walls need to be higher than what is currently in place to protect the peninsula from predicted sea level rises until the year 2100. Once the main construction work is complete, a raised public walkway will be built behind them on the peninsula, to ensure the panoramic views over the walls are maintained. 

Cllr Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Place Services said:

“This work is essential to maintain the harbour walls. The restoration will strengthen and stabilise the failing walls protecting the peninsula.  The results of the failure can already be seen in the car park and walkway, which has already been fenced off at the far end, as minor sink holes have appeared above where the wall is already failing.

“This work will be very much dependent on weather and sea conditions, and we’ve designed the programme to lessen the impact as much as possible to local people, visitors and businesses. We are very grateful for everyone’s understanding and patience.”

The first phase of the work will start on the wall closest to the beach by The Pavilion in two weeks. To provide contractors and their machinery with a safe working area temporary traffic lights will be in place opposite The Pavilion forecourt. Access to and from the Pavilion car park will be restricted to one lane and a small section of the beach which hugs the harbour wall will be closed to the public for this phase of the work. These restrictions are expected to be in place until the end of July 2026.

Cllr Richard Biggs, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Assets and Regeneration said:

“Dorset Council has ambitions to create a collaborative, long-term vision for Weymouth, building on the town’s unique identity. Government funding of £19.5m is helping us to bring forward several sites across the town which will deliver a mix of dwellings, including an appropriate element of affordable homes, together with suitable commercial enterprises that encourage economic regeneration. If we do not carry out this vital engineering programme, longer term ambitions for regeneration of this site cannot move forwards.”

This repair work was postponed due to the presence of seagrass along part of the wall. Seagrass is used by seahorses, a highly protected species, to breed and raise their young in the summer months.

Following the harbour wall replacement there is a plan to restore and increase the area of seagrass. This area will then be monitored over several years to make sure that the work has not caused any detrimental effects to the environment.

For more information visit www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/peninsula-harbour-walls-repair-and-replacement-scheme