01 Oct Seaton Jurassic Breaks Ground

Representatives from funding partners, local community campaigners, volunteers and school children came together on Friday to celebrate the official start on site for the building of Seaton Jurassic £4m visitor centre.

Earlier in the day pupils from the school helped the contractors move plants to make way for construction to take place on the car park in The Underfleet, Seaton. The plants will be re-planted at the rear of the site, on the edge of the remaining car park.

Following Friday’s celebration construction work will start on site and visitors can see the progress through fencing surrounding the construction site. The development of the project can also be seen by visiting www.seatonjurassic.org.

It is expected that the first part of the new centre including a shop, cafe and the Tourist Information Centre, will openin spring 2016.

Seaton Jurassic will take the visitor on a unique journey back in time to experience the story of evolution, wildlife and geology. It will raise awareness of Seaton’s unique location on the Jurassic Coast; the only place with examples of Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous eras.

The town’s existing Tourist Information Centre will be demolished to make way for the new centre and is now using a temporary facility adjacent to the Seaton Tramway terminus. Once the new visitor centre opens next summer, the Tourist Information Centre will operate from within the first hub of Seaton Jurassic.

Seaton Jurassic has secured more than £4million of funding with contributions from East Devon District Council, Devon County Council, Seaton Town Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, Coastal Communities Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation and Fine Family Foundation. Planning consent for the project was given in June 2013.

Seaton Jurassic has benefited from tremendous support locally with the Seaton Visitor Centre Trust and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage team campaigning for many years. Local people will be key to the centre’s success going forward with opportunities to be involved as volunteers, fundraisers and ambassadors.

WWA a have been involved with the project since its inception and are providing quantity surveying, project management and CDM services.

Jeremy Dunn, Senior Associate Director commented: “This is such an important milestone and congratulations to East Devon District Council, Devon Wildlife Trust and all the stakeholders who have worked together to make this exciting project happen. We are proud to have worked on this project since its inception and are looking forward to helping deliver the completed building and exhibition”.