A WEST BAY harbour wall path has been closed for public access again after being briefly re-opened following interim repair works.

The wall, known as harbour wall B, is said to have shown signs of movement in the past few days which has resulted in the walkway behind it being closed for public safety reasons.

The section of wall had been scheduled for longer-term improvement works in the autumn/winter which may now have to be either brought forward, or delayed, depending on what a further inspection finds.

Food outlets in the area remain open and are not affected by the walkway closure behind the harbour wall close to the harbourmaster's office and the public toilets which were closed earlier in the year.

The news was given to Dorset Council’s joint harbours advisory committee by Dorset Council's manager for flood and coastal erosion risk management Matthew Penny.

The committee heard that stabilisation and repair work planned for the wall had a preferred option of cleaning the wall and removing the loose material at the base, installing a new toe structure, stabilising the ground behind the wall, installing a waterproof layer and then resurfacing.

Ward councillor Sarah Williams has sought assurance that discussions would involve consultation with the council’s conservation team and asked that works to the public toilets might be completed at the same time as any further works to the wall.

She said that the sooner the temporary toilets on Fisherman's Green were replaced, the better, as it was not a good image for visitors to the area.

Mr Penny said that there had been an initial discussion with conservation officers and it was likely there would be a further consultation as soon as a decision about what works were required, if any, and when that might be carried out.