News Essential £200k works to take place at Jacob's Ladder Seawall and the Millennium Walkway in Sidmouth

A total of £200,000 worth of works is set to take place to repair the seawall and ramp, as well as the hand railing with a wall, between 19 September until the start of November 2022.

Minor repairs will also be carried out the Millennium Walkway.

The seawall and ramp has taken many years of storm damage and requires a new concrete face and replacement ramp to ensure the structure is safe and functional into the future. Due to repeated storm damage upgrading to some of the railing to a solid wall will take place.

The works will require the closure of the Millennium Walkway and Undercliff path from 19th September to the end of November. Access will still be available from Jacob’s Ladder beach to the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder stairs, as well as to the Jacob’s ladder beach kiosk, however through access will not be possible between Jacob’s Ladder beach and Town Beach. East Devon District Council will keep as much of the area open to the public as possible, with the Millennium Walkway largely open, but becoming an effective dead end due to the works. As the works progress the closure of the Millennium Walkway and Undercliff walkway will move eastwards to town.

A small compound will be set up in Manor Road Long stay car park, and the steep path down to Jacob’s ladder will also see increased construction plant movements, although this will remain open to the public. Construction traffic may also track around from the west end of the Esplanade. There will also be construction plant on the beach at Jacob’s Ladder.

These works are essential, and we have timed them to avoid the best part of the year for residents and holiday makers, however this needs to be done before the winter storms.

With these works concluding in early November, we will fully reopen the Millennium Walkway and Undercliff path. Our contractors will then move to replace the emergency beach egress at East Beach. The current scaffold steps are prone to storm damage, so will be replaced with a bespoke metal stairway. Public access to East Beach is still not advised or encouraged due to the ongoing cliff falls, however an emergency access and egress will be provided for the foreseeable future.