Sea, sand and saunas: sea-swimming trends drives plans for outdoor saunas at four Causeway Coast beauty spots

Waterfoot beach and the illustrative designs of outdoor mobile saunas for locations across the Causeway Coast.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Planning Department has received planning applications for outdoor saunas at four popular coastal locations across the borough.

The proposals represent the next stage in plans to introduce dedicated wellness facilities at key seaside destinations, reflecting the growing popularity of sea swimming, cold-water immersion and outdoor wellbeing experiences.

Last year, council officers reviewed a number of coastal sites to assess their suitability for outdoor saunas. In February, the council’s Leisure and Development Committee approved Benone Strand, Whiterocks, Ballycastle seafront and Waterfoot as preferred locations for the facilities.

Proposed site of new mobile sauna at Benone Strand – site denoted by red boundary line.

Proposed site of new mobile sauna at Beach Car Park, Garron Road in Waterfoot – site denoted by red boundary line.

Proposed site of new mobile sauna at East Strand, Portrush – site denoted by red boundary line.

Proposed site of new mobile sauna at Whiterocks Beach, Portrush – site denoted by red boundary line.

The Planning Department has now received full planning applications for saunas at Benone Strand, Waterfoot Beach car park, East Strand in Portrush and Whiterocks Beach, Portrush.

Accompanying Planning Statements say the proposals are intended to meet a growing demand for wellness experiences across Northern Ireland, particularly activities that promote physical and mental wellbeing.

The documents note that mobile saunas paired with cold-water immersion have become increasingly popular at coastal locations due to their perceived health benefits and appeal to visitors.

“Benone Beach is a well-established tourist destination attracting walkers, swimmers, surfers and visitors throughout the year,” one of the planning statements said.

“There is currently, however, a lack of dedicated wellness infrastructure and the proposed mobile sauna would address this gap by offering a unique, low-impact facility that enhances the visitor experience, encourages longer stays, and supports sustainable tourism growth in the area.”

The planning documents state that the chosen locations have been selected because they already benefit from supporting infrastructure such as car parking, access roads and visitor facilities, allowing the proposals to be accommodated with minimal impact.

In relation to Waterfoot, the statement says the beach car park is particularly well suited to accommodate a sauna due to its location within a recreational coastal area.

“The introduction of a mobile sauna is compatible with the surrounding uses and would serve to enhance the overall amenity of the adjacent beach,” the statement concludes.

“Its modest and temporary nature ensures that it does not detract from the scenic quality of the beach and wider coastal area.”

The applications will now be assessed by planning officials as part of the formal planning process.

If approved, the facilities would add to a growing number of outdoor wellness attractions emerging around Northern Ireland’s coastline, where cold-water swimming and sauna experiences have surged in popularity in recent years.