Plan for heritage street lamps to return to Clacton seafront

Clacton’s historic cast iron lampposts were removed by Tendring Council in 2014 following safety concerns.

At the time, the council assured residents the ornate posts would be stored carefully until it decided how they could best be repaired or restored.

But two years ago, angry residents discovered the treasured lampposts were secretly sold to a scrapyard.

The authority said the dismantled parts were not fit for repair or reuse having suffered severe corrosion.

However, the council kept an original so a moulding could be taken from it for when funding could be secured to restore them.

It was estimated it could cost as much as £250,000 for all 21 columns.

A report set to go before the council’s resources and services overview and scrutiny committee today has now revealed the authority’s economic growth and leisure team has begun work to source funding for heritage lights on the seafront.

It said: “Having completed a cost exercise on the refurbishment of the lights the council is pursuing external funding, the success of which will determine whether it is possible to take the project forward.”

The ornate lamps, believed to have been put up in 1912, were the resort’s first electric streetlights and had been Grade II listed since the summer of 1986.

It is thought they were adapted in the 1960s to take modern light fittings.

Last year a heritage trail was installed on the seafront between Jaywick and Holland-on-Sea to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Clacton.

It included 19 information boards featuring historic images and facts, included four boards with augmented reality, two listening posts and a listening bench.

The report revealed the train station listening post has been played 375 times, the Jaywick audio post 604 times and the Listening Bench played 2,772 times.

It also revealed the council is also looking into sourcing funding to safeguard and protect the Leading Lights in Dovercourt.