Plans to repair a lighthouse whose dome was torn off in a storm have been approved.
The South Pier lighthouse and pier in South Shields was closed for months after it was damaged by Storm Babet last October.
Repair work includes re-roofing the lighthouse and rebuilding lost and damaged sections of the parapet.
According to the resolution report, the work will be carried out in stages and is “expected” to take place between summer and October.
The Port of Tyne Authority has submitted repair plans for the listed building.
The town planners said that “the majority of works/repairs would be carried out on a like-for-like basis and would be considered acceptable and appropriate”.
It was also pointed out that the current gates would remain closed during the work.
In the aftermath of the storm, a search was conducted for lost “large stone parapet blocks” and “copper elements of the roof dome,” but was unsuccessful due to weather conditions and poor visibility, planning documents show.
However, some elements of the lighthouse were salvaged and it was confirmed that the lighthouse roof would be rebuilt to “match the original iron frame and copper dome that were lost at sea,” according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The “iconic red and white livery” and brass weather vane would be restored and construction details from the domes of Tynemouth and Souter lighthouses in South Shields would be used in the reconstruction.
Follow BBC North East on X (formerly Twitter), on facebook. And InstagramSend your story ideas to [email protected].
More stories from BBC North East and Cumbria
Further Internet links
