Amphibious Beach Cafe in an Essex flood zone
Project in Progress
Concept sketch for the Amphibious Bateman’s Tower Cafe in Brightlingsea
A well-loved place by the sea
This ‘place to be’ is situated inside the danger zone of a 50-year flood cycle, inside the protective rise of the sea wall and perched on a little terrace 3.2m above sea level. Suffering at least three major flood events in its known life, this is Bateman’s Tower Café.
Cheerfully serving much-needed refreshments to coastal visitors for over 40 years, the crumbling building is no longer fit for purpose and in desperate need of renewal. With customers in their thousands last summer, and growth at record levels due to extended warm weather, this is a project everybody wants to happen. It is a driver for economic revival for the area.
Making sure the Sun doesn’t set on this Cafe
Setting Sun at Bateman’s Tower with the cafe to the far right by Stephen Johnson Photography
We're enabling this core project for this part of the coast. Adapting to environmental change will future-proof this much-loved business and the people it serves. As climate change continues, it is important we find these solutions so established communities like this can flourish as opposed to fade away.
A design for a new two-storey building has been created by a local designer, and planning permission granted. In order to make this project happen, our experience and expertise is essential to overcome the technical challenges of this amphibious building.
Bateman’s Tower Cafe proposed new design by Stuart Hancock of Hancock Architecture
An amphibious building
This building will spend most of its time on land, but when the sea comes over the sea wall it will be just as happy floating as it is on solid ground. A very low impact building, we will be using up-cycled dock timber that has already had a life in local docks further up the East coast in Great Yarmouth.
Getting everyone on board
Eco Pavilions involvement in the project ensured funding was successfully secured. Our involvement allowed Lizzie Corke, the project funding manager to build credibility for the project to a point where the funders felt they could release funding without going through a complex tender process. The funders realised they couldn't tender for the project because we are uniquely placed to bring highly-specialised knowledge and skills at a price that allows the project to be built. The café is part funded by the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development.
The café’s proximity to the sea wall was a concern for the Environment Agency, who needed to be convinced the plans would not damage the vital sea defences. We have designed a solution that will enable this building to exist on land or water with such a low impact, that the Environment Agency are satisfied there is no need for a permit to begin work.
Tell us about your project mike@ecopavilions.com
The ancient Cinque Port of Brightlingsea at the mouth of the River Colne on the Essex Coast
The neighbouring port of Wivenhoe on the River Colne