Marine Lake Refurbishment

£1m+marine civils & public building refurbishment

North Somerset Council appointed EJ McGrath as Principal Contractor, with AtkinsRéalis (Bristol) as contract administrator, for the refurbishment of Marine Lake on the Weston-super-Mare seafront, a tidal lake repaired and upgraded in a live, public marine environment. Repairs to the lake structures, intertidal concrete and the perimeter surfacing could only be progressed in the windows between tides, under a Marine Management Organisation (MMO) marine licence, to a fixed completion.

What we delivered

• Marine & intertidal concrete repairs: structural patch repairs to the lake structures, with new RC GGBS nosing and rear margins
• New RC slipway constructed on driven cased-pile foundations
• Drainage & utilities: new MDPE water mains, soil/waste stack, drainage and outfall connections
• Perimeter surfacing: polymer-modified asphalt laid to tight temperature control within a single window of low tides
• Building works: full refurbishment of two buildings (structural, M&E and finishes), including a fully modernised toilet block
• Externals & finishes: stainless and stone-stair handrails, cobble and portal reinstatement, and public-realm finishes
• Bespoke marine-grade fabrication: stainless-steel handrails, signage and bespoke gates

The challenge

A tidal lake on a live public seafront, with no margin for programme slip. Intertidal and surfacing works were limited to the windows between tides, with the polymer-modified asphalt needing tight temperature control to a fixed completion, all under an MMO marine licence with public access maintained throughout.

Our approach

Intertidal and surfacing operations were sequenced to the tide tables and continuously monitored and adjusted for wind, temperature and conditions. Public segregation was phased around the works, with daily tidal and weather briefings keeping the programme on track.

Safety, security & compliance

As Principal Contractor on a live seafront, we delivered under the MMO marine licence with full pollution-prevention controls and no environmental breaches recorded. Quality was ITP-led, with independent material testing alongside our own QA records.

Outcome

The refurbishment was completed and handed back in May 2026, with the surfacing independently tested and QA-evidenced to specification across every layer. The result, and our standing relationship with North Somerset Council, have since generated direct follow-on interest, including further Marine Lake works and the accessible ramp at Clevedon Marine Lake.

Huge thanks must go to the officers involved and our contractor EJ McGrath for completing the work in time for the second May bank holiday and start of the school holidays, despite the challenges of working in a marine environment.Cllr Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council