Weymouth: Harbour wall to be repaired by end of June

The repairs, which first got underway at the end of last year, were set back several months following a partial collapse of the wall on North Quay.

As reported, the wall repairs were expected to be completed in the spring of 2024, but the 50-metre section that collapsed has added a couple of months to the schedule.

The project was already costing Dorset Council £1 million, which is being funded from the Levelling Up Fund to redevelop the area, and a further £70,000 was needed to repair the collapsed section.

Weymouth harbour wall following a partial collapse in February (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

The council has confirmed that ‘immediate’ work to repair the collapsed section of the wall has been completed and damaged electrical cables have been ‘repaired and secured’ with the help of the utility service providers.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council said: “The material behind the failed section of wall was a very poor material and failure, that we assume started sometime in the past, had been arrested by placing rip rap (small rocks) in front of the wall to support it.

“Under this project, the rip rap was removed to give access for repairs to the wall and upon removal of the rip rap, the section of wall failed. It has transpired therefore, that the reinstatement process is necessary remedial work.

“We are in the process of engaging with contractors to determine the preferred option considering the complications introduced to accommodate the tidal impact and the proximity of critical services.

“We aim to appoint the selected contractor by the end of April. The work is programmed for completion by the end of June.”

The former council offices on North Quay were demolished as part of a £19.5 million redevelopment of the area (Image: Andy Jones)

The project is part of a larger £19.5 million project to redevelop the harbour side which has included the demolition of the former council offices at North Quay.

The repair and strengthening for the 235-metre section should extend the life of the wall beyond 2060.

Part of the work will include a raising of the height to deal with anticipated higher sea levels in 35-40 years’ time.

The work will also include the addition of stone capping to the harbour wall which will reduce the risk of water over-topping the structure.

The council is also planning on carrying further maintenance work on the town bridge.

This comes after engineers inspected the parapets which have started to corrode and will be fixed after the busy summer season.