Climate crisis: Cleethorpes water sports centre designed so it can be taken down and moved as sea levels rise

‘We’re facing up to the future. We’re not sticking our heads in the sand about global warming,’ designer tells Colin Drury

Artists impression of how new water sports centre would look (Ebb & Flo) (Ebb and Flo)

It is a new sea-front water sports centre that will come with the many features one might expect: kayak and paddle board hire services, equipment and clothing shop, and a café with panoramic views.

A new leisure complex set to be built in Cleethorpes, however, will come with a very 21st century twist: the three-storey venue will be designed so it can be packed up and moved back inland as sea levels rise.

The centre will be built from repurposed shipping containers in such a way that it can be dismantled and erected at a new site should the climate crisis result in parts of the Lincolnshire resort being lost to the sea.

The unique building – which will cost up to £1.2 million – is the brainchild of Ebb and Flo, an independent water sports and lifestyle business founded in the town by couple Vince and Toni Weavers.

It was approved by North Lincolnshire Council last week.

“Why are we doing it?” ponders Vince, 43, today. “Predominantly, we’re facing up to the future. We’re not sticking our heads in the sand about the climate crisis.

“If you look at reports and listen to scientists, and if you look at the local flood risk maps, we know we are moving in the wrong direction in terms of sea-levels rising...so what we didn’t want to do is build something that, a few years down the line, becomes unusable. That wouldn’t make any financial or environmental sense. It wouldn’t be preparing properly for the future.”

The Environment Agency has previously predicted sea levels around the Humber estuary will rise between 50 and 100cm over the next century.

While such a rise would not see the new building under water, it would make it highly vulnerable to increasingly frequent storm surges.

The venue itself will be designed to be as green as possible.

It will create all its own energy through solar panels and wind turbines, while also being almost entirely constructed from repurposed materials. The couple are currently exploring the possibility of ground source heating.

“This speaks to the nature of the company,” says Toni, 33. “Being innovative and sustainable is what we are about.”

Are such buildings now the future for coastal communities? “I think there has to be more thinking outside the box as we face up to the future,” says Vince.

Offering her backing for the project, Labour councillor Debbie Rodwell said the project would be good for the region: “The proposed buildings are attractive and I believe fit really well with the direction I would like to see our area move to.”

Grimsby Cleethorpes District Civic Society also expressed support and said the idea may be used by other sea-front developments.