CCTV for South Shields' historic South Pier to stop vandalism and protect lighthouse

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved two applications for the Grade II-listed South Pier from applicant, the Port of Tyne.

The planning application and listed building consent application were submitted earlier this year (2025) seeking permission for the “installation of a new 8m post and CCTV camera.”

The proposed site included land to the north east of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade, adjacent to Sandhaven Beach, with an applicant’s cover letter stating CCTV was “essential to view the access gates at the base of the piers which […] are continuously being vandalised to obtain illegal access.”

Last year (2024), the Port of Tyne warned that continued vandalism could delay repairs to the pier in South Shields, with reports of unauthorised access impacting restoration works, and the Port of Tyne at the time confirmed it was investigating the possibility of having 24/7 security at the site.

A cover letter submitted to South Tyneside Council with the CCTV planning applications in June, 2025, listed previous incidents that have impacted the pier, including damage to lighthouse windows and fires started “on the pavement near the lighthouse, damaging the pavement and the waterproofing to the floor above the basement”.

Another incident included “breaking through the various access gates on the pier and creating a fire in the upper walkway tunnel to trip the power supply to the lighthouse” and a cable being “removed for its copper content”, resulting in the lighthouse being without power for a “number of months”.

Those behind the CCTV plans added the “frequency of large waves overtopping the piers is [also] becoming more common and it is important to ensure the public observe the fact the piers are shut in such conditions.”

After considering the plans, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved both planning applications on August 5, 2025.

There were no objections from the council’s historic environment officer and it was argued that “the public benefit of the CCTV installation would outweigh the harm to the settings of the South Pier and [South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade] Watch House”.

Council planners, in a decision report, said the “design and resultant visual impact of the development would not be unacceptable in this location” and would result in “less than substantial harm to the setting of listed buildings”.

It was also noted that the “CCTV equipment would be positioned to monitor the South Pier and deter vandalism and illegal access onto the pier” and would “not result in any negative impacts with respect of amenity onto the adjacent land uses.”

Council planners also deemed the scheme acceptable and said it would “result in no significant harm with respect of design and visual impact, impact on the setting of listed buildings, archaeology, amenity, ecology and flooding.”

A “heritage note” previously submitted with the plans added the CCTV would have several public benefits, including “reducing disturbance to important local bird species on the South Pier”.

The heritage notes adds: “The deterrence of damage to the pier will ensure economic benefit, as less works will be required to repair the asset.

“Public safety will be increased to ensure that the vandalism can be detected and addressed by local police.

“As such, the benefits are a product of the development […] detecting damage to the pier and preventing further offences will protect the asset, whilst causing no physical hindrance to the structure of the South Pier.”

Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.

For more information on the plans and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search planning reference 250283 and 250282.