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Project Sign Off
The work to the beach finished on the 24th November, with the contractor and machinery then moving to Chiswell on Portland to commence further beach recycling and reprofiling as part of the area's Beach Management Plan.
The work moved around 11,000 cubic metres of shingle, meaning that a similar scheme of work should hopefully not need to be repeated for 5-10 years, depending on weather conditions and the rate of material loss through longshore drift.
Minor annual maintenance to cover the buried rock armour will resume when needed. The beach will not need to be closed for this.
The beach recycling and rock armour burial both ensure a high standard of protection given by the Preston beach defences, which includes the beach, seawall and promenade. The defences ensure a standard of protection with an annual probability of occurrence (APO) of 1% (1in 100 year return period) against overtopping and an APO of 0.2% (1 in 500 year return period) against breaching.
The Environment Agency (EA) delivered a beach recycling scheme on Preston Beach in Weymouth in early November 2025.
The operation started on Friday 7th November and lasted for just over 2 weeks ending on Monday 24th November. During the operation, machinery moved material from the North end of the beach, near Furzy Cliffs, back towards the Greenhill rock groyne end of the beach. This material had moved along the beach over time through a combination of coastal processes, such as longshore drift. The beach material was moved back to the South and central section of the beach to protect the underlying coastal defences and to improve the resilience of the defences against wave overtopping during the winter months.
While the works were ongoing, large areas of the beach and promenade had reduced access for public safety reasons. This included weekends. The public were asked to follow all signage and instructions from site staff. The work took place from the Greenhill rock groyne down to the beach that is in line with Bowleaze Cove car park. No beach recycling took place on Bowleaze Beach itself.
This webpage has been created to inform the local community, businesses and beach users about the operation and to answer any queries around the project delivery.
Follow the links below to find out more.
Project Sign Off
The work to the beach finished on the 24th November, with the contractor and machinery then moving to Chiswell on Portland to commence further beach recycling and reprofiling as part of the area's Beach Management Plan.
The work moved around 11,000 cubic metres of shingle, meaning that a similar scheme of work should hopefully not need to be repeated for 5-10 years, depending on weather conditions and the rate of material loss through longshore drift.
Minor annual maintenance to cover the buried rock armour will resume when needed. The beach will not need to be closed for this.
The beach recycling and rock armour burial both ensure a high standard of protection given by the Preston beach defences, which includes the beach, seawall and promenade. The defences ensure a standard of protection with an annual probability of occurrence (APO) of 1% (1in 100 year return period) against overtopping and an APO of 0.2% (1 in 500 year return period) against breaching.
The Environment Agency (EA) delivered a beach recycling scheme on Preston Beach in Weymouth in early November 2025.
The operation started on Friday 7th November and lasted for just over 2 weeks ending on Monday 24th November. During the operation, machinery moved material from the North end of the beach, near Furzy Cliffs, back towards the Greenhill rock groyne end of the beach. This material had moved along the beach over time through a combination of coastal processes, such as longshore drift. The beach material was moved back to the South and central section of the beach to protect the underlying coastal defences and to improve the resilience of the defences against wave overtopping during the winter months.
While the works were ongoing, large areas of the beach and promenade had reduced access for public safety reasons. This included weekends. The public were asked to follow all signage and instructions from site staff. The work took place from the Greenhill rock groyne down to the beach that is in line with Bowleaze Cove car park. No beach recycling took place on Bowleaze Beach itself.
This webpage has been created to inform the local community, businesses and beach users about the operation and to answer any queries around the project delivery.
Preston Beach Recycling Scheme has finished this stage
Coastal defence efforts at Preston Beach date back at least 160 years. Between 1855–1885, a coastal road was set back 18m from the beach, but by 1899 it was already overwhelmed. In the 1980s, severe flooding prompted Dorset County Council to construct a retaining wall, but a major storm in 1989 highlighted the need for more robust defences.
1996
Preston Beach Recycling Scheme has finished this stage
The Environment Agency, in partnership with Dorset County Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, completed a thorough sea defence scheme to protect the A353 and around 30 properties. This included a promenade and sea wall fronted by imported shingle to absorb wave energy.
2014
Preston Beach Recycling Scheme has finished this stage
After severe winter storms in early 2014, emergency repairs were carried out. The beach crest was reinforced with 3,955 tonnes of limestone boulders from Portland, buried under the shingle to protect the sea wall foundations.
2019-21 - Tracer Pebble Study
Preston Beach Recycling Scheme has finished this stage
The Environment Agency and Coastal Partners conducted a sediment transport study using RFID-tagged pebbles. Key findings included:
A general NE drift of sediment, with occasional reversals.
Evidence of sediment bypassing the River Jordan outlet and Bowleaze Cove pier.
Average transport rates of up to 12m/day, with the most consistent movement in the central section of Preston Beach.
No evidence of sediment moving south past the Greenhill rock groyne.
2020-2021
Preston Beach Recycling Scheme has finished this stage
Following storms and wet winters, a £440,000 project was launched to reinstate 150 metres of rock armour. This aimed to protect 57 properties and two sensitive environmental sites—Lodmoor SSSI and the RSPB reserve. The work was funded by DEFRA's Flood Defence Grant in Aid.
2025
Preston Beach Recycling Scheme is currently at this stage
The Environment Agency will be delivering a beach recycling scheme to allow the current coastal defences to be maintained.
