Victorian entrepreneurs who gave the town its motto ‘Ever Forward’, developed the town into the resort it is today, building a railway, pier, sea wall and a two-mile stretch of promenade. Now, home to around 70,000 residents, Weston-super-Mare continues to attract thousands of visitors each year.

In 2004, North Somerset Council embarked on a £30m enhancement of its sea front to protect the town’s 4,500 seaside properties and businesses from significant tidal flooding, upgrade the town’s promenade and sea wall and regenerate tourism, economic prosperity and improve the appearance of the town for residents, visitors and investors.

The project received grant funding of almost £27.5million from Defra’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid; and was the first in the UK to go through the Environment Agency’s procurement system, with new powers delegated to them by Defra.

Building on work undertaken to examine the condition and effectiveness of the sea defences, the Council commissioned Royal Haskoning to carry out detailed design work to strengthen the existing Victorian sea wall, erect a secondary ‘splash wall’, re-surface the promenade and upgrade street lighting, civic furniture and incorporate public art.

To read more download the PDF here.