Council earmarks £1.7m for reconstruction of causeway to St Mary's Lighthouse

The funding is detailed in the local authority’s investment plan, from 2026 until 2031, reserved from the general fund to help deliver a brand new causeway.

The council announced in October 2025 that it was exploring options to restore the causeway, though funding and plans had not yet been confirmed.

The concrete causeway, which stretches 900ft and links the Brierdene car park to the island, is used by more than 100,000 visitors a year.

The link to the island has undergone previous repairs and resurfacing, but sections of it have now deteriorated.

Cllr Charlie Gray, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “St Mary’s Island and the lighthouse is one of our most iconic landmarks, attracting visitors from across the region and beyond.

"The proposed scheme would see the causeway fully reconstructed after years of storm damage and ongoing repairs, helping to secure its long-term future while carefully considering the site’s unique heritage, landscape and natural environment.

“We look forward to continue progressing these plans so that residents and visitors can continue to enjoy safe access to the island for many years to come.”

In September this year, plans were submitted to council planners detailing the need for a new causeway, including measures to reduce the risk of unplanned closure and ongoing patchwork repairs in an ecologically sensitive location.

The plans state: “Continued patch repair would not address the underlying end-of-life condition and would result in repeated disturbance of the intertidal environment.”

A final decision on the proposals has not yet been made.

The plans add to North Tyneside Council’s previous works on the Island, following from a £900,000 restoration of St Mary’s Lighthouse and cottages in 2024, which included tower repairs and interactive exhibits showcasing the island’s heritage and wildlife.