Widemouth Bay Car Park

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Widemouth Bay carpark is an existing Cornwall Council Pay & Display carpark with three sections. It is adjacent to the coast path.

Deposits of wind-blown sand currently build up in the northern section, creating a risk of vehicles becoming stuck in the sand. For this reason, it has been decided to close off the northern section of the car park with granite boulders, leaving an access route remaining for RNLI vehicles only.

To make up for the loss of this section of parking, an improved surface will be installed in the southern section of the carpark. This will be 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 carparking . There will be marked out bays and a small, grassed area leading to the coastpath. This will allow parking capacity to transfer to an area that is more resilient to predicted coastal change. The lower carpark, which is the most vulnerable to flooding, will be rewilded as part of the overall initiative and adding flood resilience.

The middle section of the car park which currently has a bitmac surface will have additional disabled bays added along the seafront and the existing disabled bays will be remarked. There will also be some repairs to the existing bordering stone walls, installation of drainage, and kerbing, relocation of the Pay & Display machine, new parking bays marked, new bollards to safely define the carpark edges and a lockable entrance barrier.

Cormac are delivering the works on behalf of Cornwall Council and will be on site from March, until the end of May 2026. During construction of the new overflow section, excavated materials will be removed to the lower section and recycled and reused as part of the rewilding, supporting ecology, drainage, and long‑term adaptation of the bay. Whilst construction is underway, both the upper and lower sections of the carpark will be fenced off from the public, and we’ll be using the lower section for a works compound area.

The central carpark and café will remain open as usual, throughout the works.


Progress updates will be available on this page throughout the project.

If you have any queries or concerns please email: contracting@cormacltd.co.uk(External link)

or call us on 0300 1234 222

Widemouth Bay carpark is an existing Cornwall Council Pay & Display carpark with three sections. It is adjacent to the coast path.

Deposits of wind-blown sand currently build up in the northern section, creating a risk of vehicles becoming stuck in the sand. For this reason, it has been decided to close off the northern section of the car park with granite boulders, leaving an access route remaining for RNLI vehicles only.

To make up for the loss of this section of parking, an improved surface will be installed in the southern section of the carpark. This will be 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 carparking . There will be marked out bays and a small, grassed area leading to the coastpath. This will allow parking capacity to transfer to an area that is more resilient to predicted coastal change. The lower carpark, which is the most vulnerable to flooding, will be rewilded as part of the overall initiative and adding flood resilience.

The middle section of the car park which currently has a bitmac surface will have additional disabled bays added along the seafront and the existing disabled bays will be remarked. There will also be some repairs to the existing bordering stone walls, installation of drainage, and kerbing, relocation of the Pay & Display machine, new parking bays marked, new bollards to safely define the carpark edges and a lockable entrance barrier.

Cormac are delivering the works on behalf of Cornwall Council and will be on site from March, until the end of May 2026. During construction of the new overflow section, excavated materials will be removed to the lower section and recycled and reused as part of the rewilding, supporting ecology, drainage, and long‑term adaptation of the bay. Whilst construction is underway, both the upper and lower sections of the carpark will be fenced off from the public, and we’ll be using the lower section for a works compound area.

The central carpark and café will remain open as usual, throughout the works.


Progress updates will be available on this page throughout the project.

If you have any queries or concerns please email: contracting@cormacltd.co.uk(External link)

or call us on 0300 1234 222

  • 29th April 2026

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    Following ongoing liaison with the local community, and in response to feedback and suggestions received, a small change has been made to the design of the access road and parking bays. The original proposal included a recycled plastic paving system finished with a gravel top layer. This will now be amended so that the top layer is topsoil and seeded with a coastal grass mix, encouraging the growth of grass and helping the finished scheme better reflect its natural surroundings.

    Due to the timing of the planned opening (anticipated 1st July), it is recognised that this change comes late in the project and that there may be limited opportunity for a full grass establishment period before public use resumes. The seeded areas will be monitored, and if further seeding is required later in the year to support successful establishment, this will be carried out.

    This change sits alongside the wider project aim of improving the car park while respecting the character of Widemouth Bay. We would like to thank the local community and stakeholders for their continued engagement and constructive feedback, which has helped shape this improvement.

    Following ongoing liaison with the local community, and in response to feedback and suggestions received, a small change has been made to the design of the access road and parking bays. The original proposal included a recycled plastic paving system finished with a gravel top layer. This will now be amended so that the top layer is topsoil and seeded with a coastal grass mix, encouraging the growth of grass and helping the finished scheme better reflect its natural surroundings.

    Due to the timing of the planned opening (anticipated 1st July), it is recognised that this change comes late in the project and that there may be limited opportunity for a full grass establishment period before public use resumes. The seeded areas will be monitored, and if further seeding is required later in the year to support successful establishment, this will be carried out.

    This change sits alongside the wider project aim of improving the car park while respecting the character of Widemouth Bay. We would like to thank the local community and stakeholders for their continued engagement and constructive feedback, which has helped shape this improvement.

  • 24th April 2026

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    Works are continuing at good pace and installation of the recycled plastic cellular paving is underway.

    Works are continuing at good pace and installation of the recycled plastic cellular paving is underway.

  • 15th April 2026

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    The project is progressing well. In the southern car park, the topsoil has been stripped and temporarily relocated for future reuse. The excavated material will remain on site to help minimise the overall carbon footprint of the scheme and contribute to the Making Space For Sand element of the project. All drainage pipes have been installed and connected into the existing system and kerbs at the top left of the southern car park have now been set out and installed. Alongside the newly installed kerbs, a layer of Taram has been laid, with a geogrid plastic textile layer on top, followed by type 3 sub-base material, then compacted to the design levels. Once all the bedding material and geotextiles is installed, a recycled plastic cellular paver will be installed through which grass will grow, maintaining a natural appearance to the area.


    The project is progressing well. In the southern car park, the topsoil has been stripped and temporarily relocated for future reuse. The excavated material will remain on site to help minimise the overall carbon footprint of the scheme and contribute to the Making Space For Sand element of the project. All drainage pipes have been installed and connected into the existing system and kerbs at the top left of the southern car park have now been set out and installed. Alongside the newly installed kerbs, a layer of Taram has been laid, with a geogrid plastic textile layer on top, followed by type 3 sub-base material, then compacted to the design levels. Once all the bedding material and geotextiles is installed, a recycled plastic cellular paver will be installed through which grass will grow, maintaining a natural appearance to the area.


Page last updated: 29 Apr 2026, 02:34 PM