Six months of piling and capping is about to start on Brighton seafront as part of the work to bring the Shelter Hall back into use.
More of the cycle lane opposite the bottom of West Street will be diverted – extending the stretch shared by cyclists and pedestrians – until next June.
And a compound will be created across the layby and prom opposite the Brighton Centre to allow for hundreds of cement mixer deliveries.
Brighton and Hove City Council said: “The latest phase of rebuilding Brighton’s historic seafront Shelter Hall gets under way from early September as contractors start sinking 135 concrete piles up to 20 metres into the ground.
“These will be capped with a half-metre thick slab of concrete to provide a stable base for the new building.
“Around 1,450 cubic metres of concrete will be pumped into the site – enough to fill three swimming pools the size of Brighton’s Prince Regent.”
Although the cycle land is being diverted, the current temporary road layout is expected to remain unchanged for the duration of the work.
The council said: “Piling and capping work is expected to last until around next February.
“However, the compound and cycle lane diversion are expected to be in place until June 2018 to assist subsequent works.
“Access to the beach and all businesses on the lower prom will remain the same. A temporary pedestrian crossing in front of the Brighton Centre will also stay.
“Once groundworks are complete, a reinforced concrete frame will be created. External finishes will mean the new building looking similar to the Victorian structure it replaces.”
“The new building will house a large destination restaurant, a rotunda café, a retail unit and public toilets.
“It is expected to be fully open in spring 2019. Revenues will help maintain the seafront in future.
“The council is also reinforcing the A259 to eliminate the risk of it eventually collapsing.
“At this location the road is not built on solid ground but carried by a Victorian bridge over the original beach.”
Councillor Gill Mitchell, who chairs the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “This is a big step forward into the next phase of the project.
“The rebuilding of the Shelter Hall has generated a lot of public interest and during this next stage we will be doing everything to keep disruption to a minimum.
“We thank everyone for bearing with us, especially the seafront traders, and promise that it will all be worth it once complete.”
The council added: “The delivery compound will be see-through, formed of low water-filled barriers and mesh fencing.”
Some of the diversion work for cyclists and pedestrians is downright dangerous.
Just another example the council treats cyclists like third class citizens.
Why are you putting money into new projects before saving our iconic building s such as west pier whatcabout king alfred our most used facility and the grounds outside underneath there is the old bowling alley I am 53 been using these faciltie since i was a baby wasted spaces we could do with a lido outside king alfred as well as refurb and the underground of the old lazer centre that could be a sensational place for bowling cafe a youth centre or martial arts