Further £240,000 grant brings Historic England’s contribution to almost £1m for restoration of Grade II* listed Victorian cast-iron structure.
Historic England has awarded a further £240,000 towards the restoration of Madeira Terrace on Brighton seafront, bringing its total contribution to almost £1 million.
The grant follows £750,000 awarded by Historic England in 2024 and will contribute to the testing and reuse of as much of the original cast iron as possible.
Brighton & Hove City Council is leading the project, which will see the restoration of the first 28 arches and bays between the Madeira Shelter Hall and the Royal Crescent Steps, and a new fully accessible lift installed.
The Grade II* listed Victorian structure is thought to be the longest continuous cast-iron structure in Britain and possibly the world. It comprises 151 arches and bays stretching 865 metres. The original set piece of 69 arches dates to 1890, and the first phase of the project will restore 40% of these.
Specialists from Cast Iron Welding Services are repairing the several hundred cast iron components in this first phase. According to the project, this is thought to be the first time this welding technology has been deployed to repair structural cast iron, requiring extensive testing.
The repair-over-replacement approach avoids the carbon emissions associated with recasting. Casting iron typically generates about 8 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of iron created, while the repair approach is expected to produce less than an eighth of this. Across the whole structure, the saving is equivalent to the carbon cost of powering over 2,000 homes for a year, based on average UK household emissions.
Councillor Julie Cattell, lead member for major projects at Brighton & Hove City Council, explained: “Repairing and reusing the original cast iron takes more time, but it is the right approach to protect the Terrace’s unique heritage while also reducing the environmental impact of the restoration.
The first sections of structural cast iron have returned to the seafront from the specialist foundry, with assembly of the cast iron skeleton now underway in preparation for a new concrete deck. The new lift structure has started to take shape, incorporating more than 20,000 bricks.
