A flight of steps leading up the outside of Burnham-On-Sea’s historic beach lighthouse look set to be re-introduced, 25 years after they were removed due to storm damage.
Sedgemoor District Council, the owner of the familiar landmark, has this week applied for Listed Building Consent to make alterations to the low lighthouse – and re-introduce the stairs pictured below in the early 1900s.
Claire Faun, a spokesperson for the council, explained to Burnham-On-Sea.com this week: “The purpose of the application is to install new access stairs to replace the original staircase that was removed back in 1984 due to storm damage.”
“Access is required to the upper levels of the lighthouse to carry out routine maintenance and this is currently being carried out off ladders and the situation is very unsatisfactory from an Health and Safety perspective.”
She added: “The new access stair will take the form of the original and be mounted on the original timber supports at both top and bottom levels, and the staircase will be painted black as the original.”
“The design will echo the form of the original but will be constructed of galvanised painted steel, as opposed to the original timber construction, which given the extreme conditions faced by the structure, is likely to have a limited life.”
“The advantage of the steel construction is that it will allow for open mesh treads and landing, thus relieving water pressure during the rise of fall of the tide and limiting the effects of wave action.”
.HISTORY OF BURNHAM’S LOW LIGHTHOUSE
Burnham-On-Sea’s Low Lighthouse was built in 1832 to complement the town’s tower lighthouse.
The Low Lighthouse’s lights were inactive between 1969 and 1993, but were re-established on 31st December 1993.
The light is shown through a large window at the front of the building, which is now a listed building.
Mounted on nine timber pilings, the lighthouse is painted white with a single vertical red stripe on its front face. It is nine metres tall. More…
RELATED LINKS:
Photos of Burnham-On-Sea’s low lighthouse
History of Burnham’s lighthouses
