UK seaside town council sells beach and says 'we can't afford it'

A UK seaside town council has decided to sell its section of beach to "ensure the future protection of the shoreline" after lacking "the necessary funding". Adur District Council (ADC) has sold its section of Southwick Beach, in West Sussex, the land alongside it and its facilities to Shoreham Port Authority.

The sale of the beach, adjacent to Basin Road South, will include a legal covenant to ensure that the popular stretch of beach remains publicly accessible forever, regardless of potential future ownership. It comes after a council spokesperson said it "lacks the necessary funding to adequately invest into the current infrastructure". Following an engagement process with the community, which included an in-person event at Southwick Community Centre in July, Councillor Jeremy Gardner has decided to formally accept the port authority's proposal.

Jeremy Gardner, leader of ADC, said: "It's been clear to me and the rest of the council just how important this stretch of beach remains to the public, and we strongly believe that the best way to ensure its protection is by transferring the land to the port authority."

Shoreham Port Authority has long owned the majority of the public beach running alongside Basin Road South, which comes with its own coastal protection responsibilities.

The sale means that the port authority will now also be responsible for the sea defences at the 1.3 mile section of foreshore, which the council currently owns.

This transfer also extends ownership with the associated sea defences, toilets, car park, beach chalets and Carats Café.

Existing contractual agreements with beach chalet tenants and the operator of Carats Cafe will continue uninterrupted, the council said.

Tom Willis, Chief Executive at Shoreham Port, said: "We are pleased that Adur District Council has confirmed it wishes to proceed with the sale of the buildings, land and beach at Southwick to Shoreham Port.

"We believe our position as a long-established Trust Port makes us ideal trusted custodians for this unique area. I would like to thank everyone who either attended the public meeting or provided written feedback, much of which highlighted just how important this area is to the community.

"When the formalities of the transaction are completed, we look forward to working with everyone to shape our plans for the area."