Frustration at delays to teacher's dream of reopening colourful Hartlepool beach huts as beach school

Mum-of-four Shonette Bason, who lives in Wynyard, said she has developed a “very unique programme” involving taking children to the beach to help enhance their education and provide new outdoor learning opportunities.

She earmarked the empty huts in Seaton Carew, which she won the tender for “before Christmas”, as a base.

Yet the 51-year-old experienced teacher said she has become “frustrated” at what she considers to be the slow responses from Hartlepool Borough Council to her inquiries around potential planning permission and what is now needed to get the project going.

The council, in response, insists “we welcome continued dialogue with Ms Bason to bring this forward in a timely manner”.

Ms Bason, who has been teaching for 30 years, said: “Our children need to learn how to be in the outside world.

“Watching those huts filled with people would almost fill the town back up with joy.

“It would create coastline custodians of the future. It’s something really unique and ground-breaking, you could draw so much attention to Seaton Carew.”

She added she previously held initial beach sessions at Seaton Carew in January, which received positive feedback and which aim to bridge deprivation gaps facing nursery and primary school-aged children.

Ms Bason has now had to rent space from the Thrive Hive at Seaton Methodist Church ahead of planned May half-term and summer sessions to ensure they can go ahead as hoped.

A Hartlepool Borough Council spokesman said: “Ms Bason has been working with the council and she has identified a number of possible locations for a new beach school.

“Having now confirmed the preferred site is the current beach hut locations, we have been working through the process to determine if the proposals accord with the current planning permissions.

“In light of the proposal, a planning application will be required and we welcome continued dialogue with Ms Bason to bring this forward in a timely manner so the beach school can be considered on its own merits.

“Whilst these discussions remain ongoing there has been no lease signed nor rent required and this will remain the case until the planning application is determined and any other relevant permissions are secured.”