Brighton & Hove City Council leader Jason Kitcat on seafront improvements

We recently re-opened a section of the seafront promenade to pedestrians and cyclists after a huge amount of work to rebuild the arches keeping it up.

This is part of a £4m, three-year programme to strengthen the promenade, which is essential to keeping the seafront A259 road open.

Many don’t know that the seafront is supported by a bridge structure, which runs in front of low chalk cliffs. Over many years these Victorian arches had been deteriorating, allowing rain to leak into spaces below. This meant that the lower promenade arches couldn’t be used for local businesses, and that that the seafront road above was at risk.
However we’ve been investing significant money in rebuilding sections of these arches to ensure that they’re stable and safe for years to come. What’s more, the new 26 fishermen’s arches on Brighton seafront will provide 10 new business units or artists’ studios as well new public toilets in this key area.

Council conservation experts and English Heritage have been closely involved to ensure that the new arches and seafront are in keeping with the style of our historic promenade.

The designs include specially-made bricks, new wooden frames, doors and windows, and iron railings re-cast from moulds dating back to the 1880s.

The next phase of these seafront improvements will include works on the section from Regency Square Subway to the Metropole Hotel, and should be complete around winter 2014.

These are absolutely crucial investments in our roads and historic seafront. Without them the seafront road would not be able to stay safely open. I’m delighted we’re also able to use the opportunity to restore the prom and create brilliant new space for shops, studios and cafes to liven up this section of our seafront.