Madeira Terrace procurement update at Special Cabinet Meeting

At a special meeting on Monday 12 August Cabinet members voted to approve an additional budget to move forward the restoration of 28 of the Madeira Terrace arches.

The decision means that a further £3 million budget will be put towards the work to complete Phase 1 of the project.

Councillor Jacob Taylor, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and City Regeneration, said: “We are committed to the restoration of Madeira Terrace and want to proceed with it as soon as possible. That's why we called an urgent cabinet meeting to make a decision and get moving.

“While the sum is large, the opportunity to take a major step forward to restore some pride in the east of the city must not be missed.”

Phase 1 of the restoration

As well as restoring 28 arches and bays, Phase 1 will also include:

• A new lift - a key component for the scheme that will ensure access for all
• Full replacement of the upper deck with a waterproofed deck, infrastructure for canopies / shades and for pop-up events
• Painting with a system guaranteed to perform better in coastal conditions than traditional materials available to the Victorians
• Refacing and regreening the Green Wall where possible, although much of this will take time to recolonise as the current wall has been there for 150 years and is older than the Terrace itself
• A new staircase down from the deck near Concorde 2 / Shelter Hall
• Reinstatement of the planted verges at Madeira Drive level
• A more pedestrian friendly layout in front of the Terrace, providing beach access for all and including two new crossing points, and
• Seating to the upper deck encouraging people to sit and enjoy the views.

The new lift will provide 24-hour access and be capable of being used by all.

Further phases of restoration

Council Leader Bella Sankey added: “There has been strong public support for the restoration among residents and businesses, as well as from heritage organisations such as Historic England and the Victorian Society. We hope that completing this first phase will showcase how the Terrace can be successfully restored.”

“We are serious about finding a long-term solution to restoring and maintaining this iconic part of our historic seafront. As the project moves forward we will be seeking ideas from residents, local businesses and investors on how the restoration of the rest of the arches can be funded in a way Brighton-friendly way.

“This is just the first phase of the restoration. We will not rest until all of the arches are restored.”

Details of the Special Cabinet Meeting on Monday 12 August 2024 can be found on the Committee pages of our website.