BAM Nuttall to lead on £5m coastal clean-up

Northumberland County Council has asked the contractor to head a works programme tackling historical pollution at Lynemouth.

Works are now getting under way. The local authority has allocated £5m to undertake the project, aiming to clean up this stretch of coastline and stop historic waste deposits from washing into the sea.

All necessary planning and regulatory approvals have been secured for the scheme and with weather improving, the main site set-up works will start in March 2024 led by BAM Nuttall.

Between June and September the actual excavation work will take place, separating the waste materials for safe off-site disposal and reinstating the landscape, with completion aiming for autumn 2024.

Council teams have continued to visit the site to monitor and remove waste material being eroded from the cliffs and washed onto the beach, where able and safe to do so. This activity will continue up until the main works start in June 2024.

NCC leader Cllr Glen Sanderson said: “We’re delighted to have secured all the necessary permissions and are now in a position to implement this major clean-up project that will significantly improve the environment along this part of the county’s coastline which has been blighted by past industrial activity.

“This is a key project in our commitment to put the environment at the heart of everything we do.

“Not only are we tackling the contaminated land, but we also know how unsightly these historic waste deposits washing onto the beach are, – so improving the overall environment here is very important to us.

“It’s going to be a busy few months but we are determined to improve the environment and support nature recovery in this area for the benefit of local residents, visitors and our wildlife for years to come.”