Withernsea: Seafront Regeneration - FAQs

Withernsea Town Council, with support from East Riding of Yorkshire Council, has secured an outline offer for external funding which would fully cover the costs for this phase of the regeneration programme, including; 

• The creation of the Coastal Market and installation of 10 micro-kiosks.
• Bollard installation for pedestrianisation on the Central Promenade.
• The groundworks for 32 beach huts at Memorial Gardens and 8 initial units.
• Energy efficiencies and some refurbishment of the fishing compound. 

We have proposed a GRP composite construction with timber effect that has been used by numerous local authorities for comparable beach hut schemes and the RNLI for their seafront buildings. The suppliers we’ve engaged in discussions offer long-term maintenance and anti-colour fade guarantees. The combined rental incomes across the beach hut and micro-kiosks schemes has been designed to include funding support for a part-time foreshore officer who will be responsible for the management of these units and coordinating any required maintenance.

The external funding has restricted eligibility criteria and could not be used for general maintenance works or proposals such as these. The surplus revenue generated from these schemes will be reinvested in Withernsea and could be used to support other projects.

The introduction of beach huts to Withernsea has been a long-term ambition, identified as a priority by the Town Council and Local Authority, and endorsed by residents in several regeneration & renaissance consultations. 

Due to the nature and profile of Withernsea’s beach there is considerable detritus thrown up onto the promenade during storms. The beach huts have been intentionally set back to mitigate for this and avoid damage. 

The proposed scheme is a low-cost and low-risk pilot phase in a location owned by Withernsea Town Council. Should it prove successful further locations and phases could be considered in the future. 

The proposed specification includes a small scale solar and battery system to offer some electrical supply per unit for internal LED lights and a socket. No mains services will be provided. 

Our preferred option for water is to provide two communal water filling stations which would include a grey water disposals. 

We have reviewed running costs from comparable beach huts already in operation in other regions and have used these to inform our financial modelling, with costs covered by rental income. 

We note many comments about anti-social behaviour and the potential impact on these proposals, however the Town Council and ERYC colleagues have been actively working to address these issues and integrate resilience into these schemes including; 

• The construction materials as a form of GRP composite with integrated insulation are graffiti and fire resistant, and considerably most robust than classical wooden beach huts.
• Additional storm doors have been specified for the beach huts and micro-kiosks, including a 4 point locking system. These have been included to provide additional security and protection.
• CCTV will cover both the beach huts and valley gardens areas. We have also budgeted for an external security service to support monitoring and response 

Withernsea Town Council fully recognise the importance of existing events and attractions which support the town and have been conscious of incorporating these into the regeneration proposals. 

Due to the unexpected external funding offer, the original programme timetable and phasing has been altered and we note this has raised some questions and concerns about displacement. 

The introduction of pedestrianisation on the central promenade will still allow for events and activities to take place, with Withernsea Town Council and ERYC authorising the use of space in line with current practice. 

We are in discussions to ensure equivalent space is made available and offered to the Funfair, either in its current location on the promenade or in an alternative seafront location, and will be discussing this with the operators to confirm their preference. 

The intention of these micro-kiosks is three-fold,

1. To support start-up businesses and provide entry level premises, allowing artisans and entrepreneurs to test ideas, build up a customer base and hopefully gain confidence to move into larger premises in the town.
2. To provide low-cost units which can be offered to key services or businesses which are in demand but have been lost from the town.
3. To create a marketable venue which we can build wider seasonal events and attractions around. 

Our proposal is to have a small community steering group to help with the tenant selection process. Similar venues have a scoring matrix to assess applications and give additional weighting towards applications from local residents or those offering in-demand services [such as greengrocer etc]. Our intention is to work with this steering group, including representatives from existing seafront businesses, to avoid duplication or unnecessary competition, and achieve a blend of tenants which will act as a draw to visitors and provide improved services to residents.

We are currently targeting a £250 - £280 pcm rental price point which is extremely competitive.

Drawing on recommendations from other venues, we intend for the ‘Coastal Market’ to have core hours and opening days which will be a contractual condition. 

For example, the Harbour Village at Amble has requirements for tenants to open 5 days per week including weekends from Easter to October, 6 days per week during school holidays, and weekends from October until Christmas. 

The funding is restricted and cannot be used to support privately owned premises in the High Street. Unfortunately, the Town Council has limited influence over private landlords and cannot address vacancies, appearance or maintenance issues. We have previously sign-posted businesses to support offered through the Love Your Highstreet fund which provided grants to renew frontages. 

No. The site choice for these kiosks was intentional and designed to avoid encroachment on the main event space. Further plans remain in development to improve the usability and multi-functionality of Valley Gardens to support events and attractions, including wider seasonal markets which would be complemented by the kiosks as anchor stores. 

The funding on offer has requirements for delivery by March 2025. If we secure community support through this consultation we will be progressing with planning permission in the next quarter. 

A community newsletter will be circulated on a quarterly basis through the Town Council channels.

Please contact James through admin@northern-shores.co.uk if you would like to arrange a call to discuss any element of these schemes.