Legal challenge halts plans to remove lagoon despite growing safety concerns and recent accidents

Oliver Partridge
Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:06:48 +0000

Plans to dismantle a lagoon in Essex have been blocked by legal proceedings, even as safety concerns mount following two recent incidents at the site.

Three Shells Lagoon in Southend, situated close to Adventure Island theme park, has been cordoned off after visitors became stuck in waterlogged sand.

Persistent complaints about foul smells during warmer months have also plagued the attraction.

Staff at the neighbouring theme park were praised as heroes last month when they rushed to free a woman and her daughter who found themselves trapped up to their waists in wet sand.

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The lagoon has faced ongoing criticism, with the area now fenced off while authorities grapple with both the safety hazards and legal obstacles preventing its removal.

Lydia Hyde, Southend councillor for climate, environment and waste, has stated her belief that the lagoon should be dismantled entirely - though she confirmed an active legal dispute has brought all progress to a standstill.

In correspondence with campaign group Southend Against Sewage, Ms Hyde revealed that engineering assessments had deemed the location fundamentally unsuitable for such a feature.

"In my opinion, from consultation with our engineers, this location is not suitable for a lagoon. Due to tidal patterns and seaweed volumes, any design will not work.

"The smell is caused by seaweed becoming trapped among the rocks and rotting in the sun," she explained.

Ms Hyde indicated she had favoured removal for the past 18 months, but another party disputed this approach, arguing the original construction was at fault rather than the concept itself.

Modifications to the wall and sluice were proposed before legal action was launched against the council, with alternative options for removal formally put forward.

Ms Hyde noted that these changes were tested and consultations took place with Natural England and the Marine Management Organisation, but the measures proved ineffective.

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"This is an active case, so I can't comment further," she said, "however, that is why all progress on developing my idea to remove the lagoon has ground to a halt."

Philip Miller, who owns Adventure Island, demanded swift intervention, but criticised the proposed solution.

He said: "The council has known about these issues, including the terrible stench, for some time. People are still getting into trouble. What's needed now is a proper plan before someone is seriously hurt."

However, Mr Miller dismissed the removal proposal as wasteful, describing it as "throwing baby out with the bathwater" and suggesting councillors should "stay in their lane" rather than guessing solutions.

Paul Thompson, proprietor of Pebbles One café on Marine Parade, expressed alarm at the ongoing danger, stating: "It's imperative something is done. People are getting stuck in quicksand and it's not safe."

On March 10, a manager at the theme park noticed two women stranded in the lagoon with the incoming tide threatening their safety.

Workshop staff were immediately summoned and arrived with ropes, which they secured around the mother and child before carefully extracting them from the sand.

Adventure Island later praised its employees on social media, noting the rescue occurred fortunately while staff remained on site at the end of the working day.

"Drawing on their training and expertise, the team acted quickly and calmly to rescue them," the attraction posted on Facebook.

Shah Haider from Southend Against Sewage said the two incidents within a single month demonstrated the lagoon had become a serious hazard, adding that campaigners overwhelmingly backed its removal.