WORKS to improve a car park which saw vehicles stranded following a build-up of sand are nearing completion.

For a long time, Widemouth Bay car park has been subject to the elements, with deposits of wind-blown sand building up in the northern section, creating a risk of vehicles becoming stuck in the sand.

As a result, Cornwall Council took the decision to close off the car park with granite boulders, while only maintaining access for RNLI vehicles.

Therefore, due to the loss of space for parking, the council has been carrying out improvements to the surface of the southern section of the car park.

These improvements have seen the installation of a ‘permeable, geogrid surface made of recycled plastic cellular pavers, through which the grass will grow, maintaining a natural appearance but more stable and suited to car parking’ . The council has also marked out bays and a small, grassed area leading to the coastpath, allowing the parking capacity to transfer to an area ‘that is more resilient to predicted coastal change’.

Finally, the lower car park, which the council has described as ‘the most vulnerable to flooding’, will be rewilded as part of the initiative, also adding flood resilience.

Despite initial plans to have the project completed by July 1, it has now been revealed that works are nearing completion.

Cllr Nicky Chopak, Cornwall councillor for Poundstock said: “Widemouth Bay car park is nearly completed. I was delighted to welcome Cllr Dan Rogerson, Vicky Fraser and Oliver Jones from Cornwall Council and Jerry from Cormac to go through snagging issues today.

“A huge thank you to Ado Shorland who helped me to negotiate the re-arrangement of the boulders, something the community of Widemouth were unhappy about.

“Works will continue until the Summer holidays and then paused until Autumn.”