A PROJECT to build more than 100 beach huts built at Milford-on-Sea after the original huts were wrecked during a violent storm has won an award.

A total of 119 replacement beach huts were built after 80mph winds ripped apart the concrete huts dating from the 1960s on Valentine’s Day in 2014.

Work to replace them, which was carried out by Raymond Brown Construction Ltd of Ringwood, started in September 2016 and was completed in May 2017.

The project cost £2.3 million, which was nearly double the original estimate.

It received one of only 18 Civic Trust Awards, selected from 234 projects around the world.

The project was described as “elegant and attractive, displaying all the charm and fun you would expect from the seaside location."

The promenade in front of the huts was widened, improving access along the lower promenade, while a walkway with handrails was installed giving people better views of the Solent, along with improved sea defences.

While a galvanised steel ramp curves around the World War II pillbox at the western end of the site and concrete ramps have been installed to give wheelchair users and pushchairs access to both promenades.

Other Civic Trust Award winners included a railway station in Denmark, an ocean research centre in China and the British Airways i360 observation tower in Brighton.

Councillor Alison Hoare, portfolio holder for environment and regulatory services at New Forest District Council, said: “I am delighted that this improvement scheme, which is already bringing great enjoyment to people, has been recognised by these prestigious awards for its innovative, far-sighted approach to combining good access for recreational use with robust sea defences."

The project was also one of just five developments to be highly commended in the Concrete Society Awards in November 2017.

In July 2017 the project won an award in The Galvanizing Awards. The scheme was also shortlisted for the Institute of Civil Engineers South East England Engineering Excellence Awards 2017.