Council backs £50,000 dust path to replace damaged Waterfoot Beach boardwalk

Waterfoot Beach, County Antrim (Image: Angela McIlgorm)

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has endorsed plans to replace the damaged boardwalk at Waterfoot Beach with a compacted dust path.

At October’s Leisure and Development Committee meeting, councillors were told that the existing boardwalk, installed in 2015, had deteriorated significantly and now poses safety and maintenance concerns.

Members were presented with two replacement options:

• Option 1: A compacted dust path, providing “a more durable, low-maintenance, and accessible surface suitable for all user groups”, with an estimated cost of £50,000.

• Option 2: A replacement hardwood path, suitable for pedestrians and recreational use, with an estimated cost of £153,500.

An officers’ report recommended the first option as the most cost-effective solution, ensuring the council’s compliance with accessibility and usability standards, reducing long-term maintenance obligations, and aligning with sustainability objectives.

A council officer noted that both options were expected to be “very low-maintenance”, with no anticipated maintenance costs for the first five years and an annual cost of around £2,000 thereafter.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of proceeding with the dust path option.