Southend report backs removing Three Shells Lagoon and restoring natural beach

Southend-on-Sea City Council has published a report recommending that the Three Shells Lagoon structure on the city's seafront be removed and the site restored to a natural beach, with its Cabinet due to decide on 16 November.

The council said on 9 November that the recommendation followed technical assessment and consideration of a range of options, and that restoring a natural beach environment had been identified as the preferred long-term solution. The proposal is item 9 on the Cabinet agenda.

According to the council, the recommendation supports what it calls the Joint Administration's commitment to resolve long-standing issues around the lagoon scheme, which the council describes as failed.

Cllr Matt Dent, Cabinet Member for Business, Culture, Music and Tourism, said: "For years, Three Shells Lagoon has been a costly headache for the council and a source of frustration for residents."

He said the lagoon remained fenced off and unusable despite investment under previous administrations, and that there was no realistic option that avoided further substantial cost.

The options

The Cabinet papers published by the council include three appendices setting out engineering options: a sluice removal option for the lagoon, complete removal of the lagoon, and rock armour removal with sheet pile wall reduction and capping.

The council's forward plan describes the decision as consideration of the options for the lagoon's future, to enable a decision on a preferred option and an associated budget. It is classed as a key decision because it involves expenditure or saving of £500,000.

Part of the Cabinet report is expected to be exempt from publication because elements are subject to ongoing legal and commercial considerations, according to the forward plan. The lead director for the decision is the Director of Infrastructure & Environment.

The notice of the proposed decision was first published on 30 July 2026, according to the council's issue details, with the item appearing in the forward plan from 1 August.

Site closed to the public

The lagoon is currently closed to all public access, according to the council's beach safety page, which tells visitors not to enter the lagoon or attempt to cross any barriers.

Cllr Dent said: "Management of the lagoon has become increasingly difficult with increased restrictions on what maintenance works can be done."

He said restoring the site to a natural public beach environment was the most practical and sustainable long-term solution, and that the recommendation was an important step towards resolving the lagoon's long-running issues.

What happens next

The same Cabinet meeting on 16 November will also take decisions on the Better Queensway housing scheme, covering its housing design, delivery approach and procurement strategy.

If Cabinet backs the recommendation, the decision will set the preferred option and the associated budget for the lagoon site. The council has not published a cost or construction programme in the announcement.