The first phase of the restoration of Madeira Terrace – and a new lift down to the beach – is now set to be complete this winter.
When Brighton and Hove City Council appointed J T Mackley and Co to restore the first 27 arches last year, it said it hoped it would be finished this summer.
Since then, work has largely gone to schedule, with a possible delay over fears the original cast iron would not be strong enough allayed by further testing and repairs.
But at an update meeting for residents at Sea Lanes last night, council project manager Abigail Hone said it was now hoping for a winter completion date.
She said: “It’s looking like winter this year it will be completed.”
Mackley’s contract manager Mike Clegg said: “There are still some challenges. The last tests to test the cat iron retoration goes to July, September time.
“Until that’s complete, we cannot give a guarantee as to when it will be back on site.
“But at the moment, it’s working to plan.”
Meanwhile, the skeleton of the lift structure is now up, and surrounded by scaffolding ready for a brick skeleton to be built around it. The lift carriage is currently being constructed off site.
The first of the cast iron elements began to be assembled last week – but Mr Clegg said this was a test run to establish the best way to put it up, and it would be taken back down again soon, ahead of the whole 27-arch stretch being put up later.
Ms Hone said: “We thought it was the easy part, but it turns out it’s technically quite difficult.”
