A CONTROVERSIAL scheme to replace almost 120 beach huts at Milford on Sea will require an additional £1million funding from the council.

In 2014 civic chiefs approved a £1.3 million project to transform a long strip of land that was battered by 80mphs winds almost two years ago.

Most of the 119 concrete huts that stood on the site at Hurst Road, Milford on Sea, were damaged or destroyed in the storm.

But project managers will now ask New Forest District Council to approve an additional spend of £1.1million on the expanded project to improve the seafront at Milford.

The original budget was based on the estimated cost of replacing the beach huts with a similar design.

However during the design development process, and in consultation with residents and other interested parties, the project expanded to include improving the public spaces around the beach huts.

The council claim the scheme will benefit many more people and therefore will outweigh the increase in cost.

Colin Read, executive director of operations, said: "The prices we have received as part of the tender process have come in significantly over the budget set two years ago to replace the huts that were damaged in the 2014 storms.

"Our decision to look at the wider benefits that could be gained from this project for residents and visitors to Milford has meant that the costs have risen.

"That coupled with an upturn in the construction industry which has seen prices rise, means that we are asking cabinet to recommend to council that the project budget be increased to £2.36 million."

If cabinet agrees to recommend the increase at a meeting on Wednesday (June1), a final report will be presented to the full council at a meeting on Monday, July 11 seeking approval for the new budget.

If the project is given the green light, the contract to build the beach huts is expected to be awarded in July.

"We had aimed to have the beach huts back in use for this summer so this delay is disappointing," added Mr Read.

"however we remain committed to making the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity to enhance Milford seafront for everyone, at the same time as replacing the beach huts.

"We want to have the new huts and improved promenade back in full use by Easter 2017,"

The New Forest District Council gave itself planning permission to build new huts in 2014 – despite 35 objections to various aspects of the scheme.

Most of the controversy centres on the position of the proposed new structures, which will be set back into the upper promenade.

The top of the huts will form part of the public walkway, sparking fears the privacy of people sunbathing outside their huts will be affected.