Next steps for major rebuilding of crumbling causeway to iconic St Mary’s Lighthouse
North Tyneside Council is progressing with its ambition to repair and reconstruct the existing causeway which links Whitley Bay to St Mary’s lighthouse.
The local authority has submitted an environmental report to the Marine Management Organisation, detailing proposals to revamp the existing causeway to St Mary’s Island. If approval for the redevelopment is granted, works would commence in 2027, according to a report commissioned by the council.
The document, known as an Environmental Impact Assessment scoping report, is a necessary step required for developments which are likely to have a significant effect on the local environment. The proposals call for the current causeway to be broken out, exposing the bedrock underneath. After this, temporary shuttering will be used and concrete poured up to depths of between 300-500mm.
North Tyneside Council Director of Regeneration and Economic Development John Sparkes said: “This forms part of the required planning process. Given that St Mary’s Island is a sensitive wildlife habitat and a treasured part of our coastline, we are taking great care as we develop plans for repairing the causeway.”
The council has said previously that parts of the causeway are beginning to deteriorate in spite of previous resurfacing efforts.
The proposals come following the Island’s reopening to the public in November 2024 after a £900,000 make-up. The works included the repainting of the tower, surrounding buildings, window repairs, and extensive cleaning of the island.
The lighthouse has been a part of North Tyneside’s coastline since 1898 and decommissioned in 1984 as technology overtook traditional sea-faring navigation.