THE final cost of Swanage’s seafront stabilisation scheme is expected to spiral to £2.85 million, according to town council officials.

Swanage Town Council, that funded the scheme, confirmed the project to combat landslips is now completed, and that the price tag is likely to be £750,000 more than originally expected.

This increase, they say, is largely due to additional works that had to be undertaken to land below the war memorial.

Swanage deputy mayor Cllr Steve Poultney said: “This work has been essential to protect Swanage seafront from the effects of landslips, ensuring that it remains a key attraction to visitors to the town.”

The project, that started last January, included the construction of a retaining wall and pinning back the soil on the Recreation Ground to prevent slippage onto Shore Road.

It also included the construction of new public toilets, two tiers of beach huts and a permanent kiosk on the corner of Shore Road and Victoria Avenue. The beach huts have prompted a mixed response from residents.

Perry Brown, 52, from Poole, said: “I quite like them, they’re nice and bright, modern without completely ruining the place.”

Meanwhile, Glynis and Mick Shephard, of Swanage, said: “I cannot see families wanting to rent them, especially not the ones at the back. They’re too close together, they’re just doesn’t seem to be enough room.”

The extra work to land below the war memorial and the discovery of Second World War phosphorus grenades, on more than one occasion, pushed back the project’s completion date.

In May three workers were taken to hospital after a 20-tonne excavator ignited a cache of phosphorus grenades, prompting the area to be sealed off by the bomb squad.

Cllr Poultney said: “Along the way there have been a number of obstacles to overcome including not only the wettest winter on record, but a tidal surge, an unrecorded gas main, Second World War phosphorus ‘SIP’ grenades buried in the soil and the discovery of a skeleton in the sand, that turned out most likely to be that of a horse.”

  • Anyone wishing to hire a beach hut should contact Swanage Tourist Information Centre, Shore Road, email mail@swanage.gov.uk or call 01929 422 885.