After being closed to the public for nearly two decades, an iconic UK beach may soon be set to reopen. The East Sussex beach was once a popular spot brimming with swimmers and sunbathers, however it closed off access to the public in 2008 on grounds of health and safety risks.

Newhaven West Beach was popular with beachgoers and locals, however, French owner Newhaven Port and Properties closed off the beach almost 18 years ago as the beach cliffs were deemed “too dangerous", with crumbling walls and high waves cited as the reason for closure.

Last month, a new bill was introduced to parliament with the hopes it would result in the reopening of the beach if passed.

On April 28, Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes James MacCleary presented the Newhaven West Beach (Public Access) Bill to parliament in an effort to secure legal public access to the “beautiful sandy beach”.

MacCleary said: “West Beach belongs in the life of Newhaven. For 17 years, families have been locked out of our town’s only sandy beach. Parents who played there as children have never been able to take their own children there – mine included. That is a real loss.”

MacCleary said he was “now seeing genuine momentum” as he urged the government to “adopt my Bill and make it law”.

“For too long the people of Newhaven have been let down. Reopening West Beach would restore a treasured community space, revive local pride and allow a new generation to make memories there.

“Newhaven has waited long enough. It is time to give the town its beach back.”

Previous proposals to reopen the beloved East Sussex beach have been rejected by Newhaven Port and Properties on health and safety grounds.

If passed and officially adopted by the government, the bill would force the beach to be reopened to tourists and locals.

It would mandate the harbour authority to provide and subsequently maintain public access to the beach in the form of safe public walking routes on the sand, and would only allow for restrictions to be put in place where strictly necessary — for harbour operations or safety.

MacCleary added: “Of course safety and harbour operations matter. But they cannot be used forever as a blanket excuse to keep people away from a much-loved public amenity. [The bill] sends a clear message: Newhaven deserves its beach back. The Government must now adopt this bill and make it law.”

In September 2025, MacCleary told The Argus: “West Beach is part of who we are in Newhaven. It was where children learned to swim, families gathered, and memories were made. Since 2008 it's been shut and an entire generation has grown up without access to their own sandy beach.

“I will not stop until West Beach is reopened for the community.” The push to reopen Newhaven West Beach comes amid efforts to revive the town as a whole and transform it back into a premiere seaside destination for locals and tourists.

Newhaven Fort reopened to the public last year after a staggering £7.5million renovation which included the addition of an adventure playground and new escape room to the 19th-century Palmerston fort and museum.

Big plans to open a splash park, children’s play area, outdoor gym and restaurant along the East Essex town’s seafront are also said to be in the works.