Tendring District Council

Access to promenade

Seafront gates are locked at all times and have combination padlocks. Access may be granted from 8-10am or 6-8pm daily by completing this online form.

Beach Hut Sites

The council has 3214 sites within the Tendring area which are owned by individuals who pay an annual site licence fee to place their hut on one of our sites. In some circumstances National Non Domestic Rates are applicable. Site licence conditions and specifications are the beach hut owner’s responsibility to ensure they are familiar with what is required before they purchase a site licence, these are available on the links below and are sent out at completion of a new licence.

To obtain a beach hut privately you will need to find a beach hut owner who wants to sell their beach hut. Owners who want to sell will usually put a notice up or advertise in the local press. When you purchase a beach hut you need to make sure that the owner and the new buyer completes an application of new site licence and pays the fee of £500.00. You should also make sure there are no outstanding licence fees.

The beach hut owner will decide the selling price. The council charges an annual site licence fee which is sent out around the 1st April. The charge varies with the size and area of the site. We charge a reduced fee for Tendring District residents subject to checks carried out by us during the process of the transfer, the concession will only be added provided the named licensee pays council tax to Tendring District Council. Please be aware that ownership of beach huts is subject to National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR), particularly if you are a small business owner or have more than one beach hut in your name. It may be possible to claim up to 100% relief for NNDR. Visit National Non Domestic Rates further information and to check if you are eligible to claim a discount.

Please note that we do not offer a refund on the licence fee once the annual invoice has been issued, this is transferred automatically with the new owners and should be taken into consideration of the private sale. In the event of a beach hut owner passing away, we can transfer the licence free of charge in accordance to Solicitors instructions, proof of probate or any legal documents relating to the deceased, please also ensure that the “application for deceased” is completed and enclosed with all the documentation. Application for deceased form

The fee for an application is £500.00, you can complete this online, Beach Hut Site Licence Application and Payment Form, or using the downloadable form Beach Hut Site Licence Application.

Our beaches and seafronts

Beach Hut Strategy - Frequently asked questions

Following adoption of the Council’s revised Beach Hut Strategy, a number of changes have been agreed to how Beach Huts will be managed in future. The following are a list of frequently asked questions, which should provide additional information about the strategy.

1. Why will Beach Hut agreements be changed from Licences to Leases?

Leases will offer additional security of tenure to Beach Hut owners, compared with the current licence agreements. This change will protect Beach Hut owners’ investments when they are currently changing hands for significant values. Licence agreements are personal and not transferrable, and can be altered or revoked by the council providing just 28 days’ notice.

2. When will leases be implemented for Beach Hut owners?

From 1 April 2024.

3. What would be the cost of a lease?

The cost of a lease will not be valued or set until closer to 1 April 2024, so this cannot be answered at this time.

As an indication however, independent advice from a property valuation expert suggests that the increase would be in the region of 10 percent higher than licence charges at the point of change.

The decision for the increase will be made by the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Tourism.

4. What would be included in the terms and conditions of a new lease?

This will not be agreed until closer to the implementation date and the detailed lease terms will be agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Tourism.

5. What would be the length of the lease?

The exact length of the lease is yet to be determined, but this will be for a term of less than 7 years. This recognises the increased administration and costs to all parties on leases for longer than 7 years.

6. Why are Beach Hut agreements being limited to one per household?

Beach hut agreements will be limited to one per household, to ensure as many local residents as possible are able to access them. The Council is considering whether a ‘buffer’ period can be implemented, to ensure anyone wishing to buy a new beach hut (e.g. for reasons of accessibility) are able to do so, with a grace period to be determined to sell their existing hut.

7. Why are commercial leases being introduced?

The Council will issue commercial agreements for those wishing to rent out Beach Huts for more than 10 days per year. It is important and appropriate to regulate the market for rentals. Commercial agreements will be issued based on an application process and subject to meeting criteria.

8. What will be cost of a commercial lease be?

The cost of a commercial lease will be double the charge set for an applicant’s non-commercial lease (which varies depending upon the location of the hut and the resident status of the applicant).

9. How do I apply for a commercial lease?

Letters will be sent out shortly to Beach Hut Licence Holders, with information on how you can send an expression of interest for a commercial licence.

10. What should I do if I have an adaptation on my Beach Hut?

If you have any concerns, you should contact the Seafronts Team. A review of the current Beach Hut design specification will be carried out over the coming months. Following the outcome of that review, the Council will work with owners for the removal of those adaptations which fall outside of the revised specification.

Depending on the outcome of that review, the Council may consider a new set of fees and charges for any adaptations which are deemed appropriate.

Commercial Lease

To apply online for a Beach Hut Commercial lease.

To apply online for a Beach Hut Commercial Lease less than 10 days in a year.

Register your interest in a Beach Hut / Leased Beach Hut

There are no beach huts available at the moment however you can register your interest on our waiting list using the "Register Your Interest" online form.

Weekly Hire of Beach Huts

We have one beach hut which is rented out weekly in Clacton on-Sea and two huts with disabled access (west side of the pier) during the open season. Prices are listed within our Beach hut lease fees and weekly rent, if you wish to book we offer a first come, first serve system available from the 3rd April from 9:30am, please call our Beach Huts team on 01255 686702 for availability.