A DISUSED lighthouse at an East Yorkshire beauty spot is to be restored as part of a £470,000 project. The striking structure in Spurn will be completely renovated to enable members of the public to climb the stairs and enjoy the view from the top.
The grade two listed lighthouse will receive the makeover thanks to a £470,500 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Two nearby military buildings – a First World War gun store and a Second World War gun emplacement – will also be restored and converted.
The gun store will be turned into a toilet block, the second a viewing platform from where visitors can gain better views of the natural habitat and shipping movements between the sea and the estuary.
Fiona Spiers, head of HLF Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "The reuse of these structures, in addition to new activities, will foster greater interest and, especially, community involvement to introduce this wild and beautiful part of the country to a wider audience."
Community involvement is a key aspect of the project and a programme of activities will also be planned to encourage visitors, including families and school parties, to visit the area, which is one of the prime locations in the country to watch spring and autumn bird migration.
Local volunteers will be recruited to act as guides to the site and to help produce new information materials for visitors.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust chief executive Rob Stoneman said: "We will help more people, and a wider range of people, to participate in the conservation of Spurn's heritage, at the lighthouse and across the site.
"We will have themed events with the help of local groups, organisations and schools.
"Spurn's lighthouse will once again become a beacon of light, celebrating the areas heritage and community spirit."
The six-storey lighthouse was built between 1893 and 1895 and was in use until 1985.
The first lighthouse in Spurn is believed to date back to 1427.
The last maintenance work on the current lighthouse was in about 1982, when the black and white building was repainted.
The lighthouse is located on the point, which is also the base for the Humber RNLI.
It has never been open for regular public access.
Once restored, it will include information and occasional exhibitions.
All the buildings will have access for disabled people and a webcam at the top of the lighthouse will provide views for those unable to climb the stairs.
Now funding has been secured, building work could start early next year and be completed towards the end of the year.
The trust is also looking at bringing in an officer to oversee the work and then carry out public engagement work in Spurn.
