A Suffolk concrete firm has played a key part in building sea defences along one of the UK’s most iconic seafronts.
Poundfield Products, based at Creeting St Peter, Ipswich, delivered 2000 bespoke sea defence wall panels to support the rebuilding of the Central Lower Promenade at Whitley Bay, as part of North Tyneside Council’s £36m Seafront Master Plan.
The panels, along a stretch from St Mary’s Lighthouse to Cullercoats Bay, were ordered by builders Hall Construction Services.
Poundfields had to produce a range of one-off moulds and deliver within a strict timetable.
“It is thrilling to see the sea defence walls – and indeed the whole development – looking spick and span,” said director Tim Evans.
“Everyone at Poundfield Products who worked on this project feels an immense sense of pride and satisfaction in being part of a scheme that both protects this beautiful coastline and looks so attractive in its own right.”
The work at Central Lower Promenade began in March 2017 and has seen the existing sea wall strengthened to protect nearby homes and businesses and will include a number of enhancements to the public realm. Finishing touches are now being made and the area is set to reopen in the coming weeks ahead of an official opening event planned for the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May.
The project is being led by North Tyneside Council in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council, Hall Construction Services, the Environment Agency (EA) and Northumbrian Water (NWL).
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