As part of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council’s ambition to boost growth across the borough, plans to improve Marine Parade and the foreshore area of the town have been developed.
These include:
- The refurbishment of the upper promenade - This will include the resurfacing of the footway and the replacement of the unique low concrete rail that runs along Marine Parade;
- The replacement of the lower promenade railings - The old iron railings that run along the edge of the beach are to be replaced;
- Hazel Grove Improvements - Improvements to this underutilised area at the western end of the beach will include a new gateway from Marine Parade and the introduction of seating and benches to encourage visitors to make more of this space;
- Improving the bus stop and pedestrian crossing facilities at the seafront, near Cat Nab Car Park.
The improvements will also see changes to signage around the foreshore and further upgrades to footpaths in the Valley Gardens. The initial stages of the works are due to commence at the end of February, which will see preparation to the concrete rails and the removal of redundant lighting columns on Marine Parade ahead of the footway resurfacing.
These changes are the latest in a series of improvements that the Council has made in the town over recent years, such as the restoration of Victorian glazed canopies in Milton Street and the restoration of the Grade II Listed Albert Memorial in Valley Gardens.
Other improvements include highway changes which will be subject the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process. These include proposals to:
- Introduce 20mph speed limiton Marine Parade and adjoining streets – This will make the environment safer for pedestrians and cyclists by reducing vehicle speeds;
- Prohibition of motorhomes on Marine Parade and Glenside between 8pm and 8am – Larger spaces and dedicated facilities in Cat Nab car park can accommodate motorhomes, and free up Marine Parade overnight.
The TROs are expected to be published towards the end of February. This means members of the public will have the opportunity to have their say on the proposals.
The costs of the improvements are being administered via Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Cllr Lynn Pallister, Cabinet Member for Growth and Enterprise at the Council, said:
“Saltburn is one of our most popular and much-loved beauty spots and visitor numbers continue to grow year on year. Such popularity has created an increased demand for visitor infrastructure, particularly during the peak tourist season, and we want to enhance the visitor experience.
“By carrying out these much-needed improvements, it is our ambition that the area will become even more popular and moving forward, these investments may then have the potential to open up further opportunities for additional hospitality and leisure businesses.”
Cllr Carl Quartermain, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at the Council, said:
“I’m pleased residents will start to see some progress with these proposals. As a Council, we are doing our best to strike a balance between meeting the needs of residents, businesses and tourists. We will continue working with the public as plans proceed. I want to recognise the efforts of the local ward councillors who brought a motion forward a couple of years ago to try and improve the parking offer on Marine Parade and I’m sure they will be pleased to see some progress.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:
“While we’re helping to bring huge, transformational projects to Redcar to give people the high-quality, well-paid jobs of tomorrow, we can’t lose sight of smaller interventions. Here, our funding is being used not just to improve the area for local people, but make it easier and more attractive to get visitors out and about and spending in our brilliant local businesses.”