East Suffolk Council

Work to build contemporary new beach huts on Lowestoft’s South Beach will take a step forward this week with the delivery of materials for the huts themselves.  

The first delivery of components for the huts will arrive on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 February. To ensure the materials can be offloaded safely by crane, a section of the upper promenade will be closed on Monday 14 February. 

Further deliveries will then take place each Thursday and Friday, followed by offloading the following Monday. This will happen for the next 7 weeks, subject to weather conditions. The work is being undertaken by Lowestoft-based contactor MS Oakes Ltd. 

Designed by architects Chaplin Farrant, the split-level beach huts will face partially south to ensure maximum sunshine throughout the day whilst the tips of the structures will face eastwards, reflecting Lowestoft’s position as the most easterly location in the country. 

Cllr Craig Rivett, East Suffolk Council’s Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Economic Development said: “This is an exciting step in the project to build these bold new beach huts which will absolutely help Lowestoft to gain further recognition as a visitor destination. These huts, along with other regeneration projects taking place along the seafront, will help to attract visitors to the town, enhancing the local economy and the lives of local residents.” 

These exciting and modern new beach huts are part of wider regeneration plans for the seafront and Lowestoft, led by East Suffolk Council. Other developments already underway include refurbishments to existing beach huts near to the Claremont Pier and the repurposing of the East Point Pavilion into a new cultural and community space, operated by First Light CIC.  

The upper prom will be closed between Cefas/Kensington Road, running alongside Kensington Gardens. Diversions for pedestrians and cyclists will be in place during the prom closures, however access to Kensington Gardens will remain open. 

Nearby car parking may be affected during deliveries and offloading and there may be some disruption on the lower promenade near to the construction site.  

The eye-catching new beach huts are expected to be completed in May. 36 of the huts will be available for purchase, with the remaining 36 available for short term hire, including 10 of the most central huts which will be easily accessible. 

More details about buying or hiring a beach hut will be made available shortly. In the meantime, anyone interested in purchasing a beach hut is asked to email lowestoft.beach@eastsuffolk.gov.uk