PLANS to rejuvenate Southbourne Beach with “luxury” beach lodges and a brand-new restaurant will be put on display for the public.

BCP Council is set to host a public consultation on the plans which would see the existing Bistro on the Beach building replaced with a modern development with “smooth flowing architecture and an expansive glass frontage offering fantastic views of the multi award-winning beach and sea beyond”.

The council said it will provide a year-round destination for residents that sits on the same footprint as the existing beach facilities, it will provide a spacious contemporary restaurant with external seating, a takeaway kiosk, modern toilets, beach showers, cycle parking and 17 overnight stay lodges.

Councillor Mohan Iyengar, cabinet member for tourism, leisure, and culture said: “We are keen to share the new design with residents.

“It delivers a much-improved service in a venue that fits into the natural surround. The current building has reached a poor state and we hope residents will consider the new scheme a worthy replacement. But we’ll take the feedback along with broader comments that will come through on the seafront strategy – and make adjustments where necessary.

“This is one of several potential ideas for the seafront as we look to safeguard and protect our coastline while developing it in the right way for residents and visitors.”

The public consultation will be held online on September 9.

A timeline on the council’s website says it plans on submitting a planning application in September.

On October 31, the season will close and tenants will vacate the building. Between November 2021 and March 2022, if permission is granted, the building will then be demolished.

Between spring and summer 2022, there will be pop-up seasonal catering, including toilets, and construction on the new building will start in Autumn 2022.