Popular UK beach is closed by iconic pier as council launches massive refurbishment
A POPULAR UK beach has been closed by an iconic pier as the council launches a massive refurbishment.
The beach in Bournemouth is set to be fenced off as part of a coastline transformation.
Locals visiting East Cliff this winter will be faced with a fence around the sand at the east side of the beach.
The council is undergoing works as part of a £33million scheme - which is funded by the Environment Agency.
Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole council plans to protect the coastline against the rising sea levels for the next century.
Contractors and diggers will be working for the next three days to install 18 timer planks in the area.
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Residents will be unable to access the area to make sure the sand can settle and compact.
The council claimed the pier will remain fenced off for another week after the project is completed.
And it has urged residents to stay away from the restricted zones.
A spokesperson said: “Our teams will then be taking a well earned break for the festive period from December 22.
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“During this break, fenced areas will be made smaller to enable visitors maximum access to the beach.
"But please continue to stay out of restricted zones and follow our safety signage.”
The new seawalls will be replaced with new materials - including tropical hardwood timber and recycled planking.
It comes as homeowners in Bournemouth fear their seaside town is being ruined by tourists camping on the beach with the local council refusing to stop them.
Locals said invaders pitching tents have been given the "green light" despite it being against the law.
The complaints come after officials in the Dorset town said they could be accused of discrimination and sued if they imposed fines.
Liberal Democrats-run Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council has received 169 complaints about beach tents over the summer.
Elsewhere, furious locals living in a seaside town say it's being ruined by filthy tourists who use the beach as a toilet.
Those living in Looe, Cornwall, have been forced to deal with beachgoers urinating on the sand and defecating in the water ever since the public toilets were closed seven years ago.
