STANDARD BEACH HUT SPECIFICATION - 1978

1) Size The hut shall be of the following overall dimensions:

Frontage 8`0" (2440mm)
Depth overall 12`0" (3660mm)
Height - to eaves 6`9" (2060mm) - to ridge 7`9" (2360mm)

Exceptions
(i) The Leas, Frinton
Depth overall 11`0" (3350mm)

(ii) Brightlingsea
Frontage 7`0" (2130mm)
Depth overall 10`6" (3200mm)

(iii) West Promenade, Clacton
Frontage 12`0" (3660mm)
Depth overall 8`0" (2440mm)

2) Front Wall The front wall shall have an entrance door 2`6" (762mm) wide divided horizontally into two sections. The door to be sited on the left of the front wall. The remainder of the front shall comprise a fixed dwarf screen 3`0" (914mm) high with removable shutters over.

Exceptions
(i) The Walings, Frinton
The front entrance door will not be provided. The front shall comprise a fixed dwarf screen 3`0" (914mm) for the full width of the hut with removable shutters over.

3) Internal Partition
A verandah if required should be formed 4`0" (1220mm) depth from the front wall of the hut. The internal division to be either a glazed timber screen with glazed double doors or alternatively a curtain screen in which case a truss should be introduced to stiffen the construction.

4) Roof The roof structure may be either ¾" (19mm) T & G boards or chipboard on 2" x 2" (50mm x 50mm) rafters covered in green mineralised felt applied with suitable bitumen adhesive to manufacturers recommendation. The roof shall project beyond the side and rear walls of the hut by not more than 4" (100mm) and in front by 12" (300mm).

5) Walls The walls may be horizontal shiplap boarding in either cedar or softwood (on building paper at owners option) on 2"x 2" (50mm x 50mm) studwork. Alternatively the walls may be exterior quality chipboard sheets or marine quality plywood sheets also on 2" x 2" (50mm x 50mm) studwork.

6) Windows There must be no windows at the sides or back of the hut. The rear wall may have a wooden louvre ventilator 12" x 12" (300mm x 300mm).

Exceptions
(i) The Walings, Frinton
A 2`6" (762mm) door shall be provided in the right-hand corner of the rear wall, to match the overall appearance of the rear wall.

7) Floor The floor to be ¾" (19mm) T & G boarding or chipboard on 2" x 2" (50mm x 50mm) joists at 16" (406mm) centres.

8) Horizontal Bearers
(a) The hut must be raised from the ground to leave a clear open space of at least 3" (75mm) between the ground and the underside of the floor structure of the hut.

(b) Horizontal bearers must be sufficient in number to bear the weight of the hut without undue deflection, must be sized to take account of any slope of the ground to keep the floor of the hut level and in any case must be not less than 3" x 3" (75mm x 75mm).

Exceptions
(i) The Walings, Frinton
Bearers minimum 4" x 3" (100mm x 75mm) should be provided.

9) Cliff Contours
Where it is necessary, owing to the contour of the cliff, to erect the hut on a staging, six uprights of sound timber not less than 4" x 4" (100mm x 100mm) must be provided and must be firmly driven (not dug) into the ground.
NO EXCAVATION OF CLIFF WILL BE PERMITTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ERECTION OF A HUT.

10) Construction
The hut may be of sectional construction to facilitate erection and/or removal in winter if required.

11) External Decoration
(a) Cedar boarding shall be treated with suitable preservative.

(b) Softwood boarding may be treated with a preservative to an approved colour or painted to an approved British Standard colour, from the following:

Preservative Pine Paint Pale Pink Pale cream
Teak Sage green Pale green
Redwood Blue grey Pale blue

(c) Chipboard or plywood shall be painted only in a colour to be selected from the approved list above.

12) The Walings, Frinton
To provide access to the rear entrance a verandah must be provided from the rear wall of the hut to a line 1000mm from the sloping face of the sea wall. The verandah to be the width of the hut and surrounded by a screen wall 4`0" (1200mm) high on north east side 3`0" (914mm) high on remaining two walls to match the walls of the hut with a gate 2`6" (762mm) wide opposite the door. Access from the promenade level shall be by means of steps or a ramp as appropriate with a balustrade to meet Building Regulations requirements. At the licensee's option the verandah may extend the length of the rear beams up to the sea wall although some damage by wave wash may be experienced. The verandah floor shall be positioned 6" (150mm) below the floor of the hut.

13) Fixing Where anchorage points have been provided in the concrete
site slab these may be used by the owner to provide a means
of securing the hut at the owner's risk.
Where no anchorages are available but the owner wishes to make such provision he may do so by means of a suitable angle iron fixed to the concrete site slab by means of expanding bolts. Slots for fixing angle irons may NOT be cut into the concrete site slab.

Exceptions
(i) The Walings, Frinton
On this location the hut owner must adequately secure the hut to the substructure. The hut owner must provide his own means of anchorage, which should be secured to the substructure by Coach Screws.
The hut shall overhang the staging equidistant at front and rear.

(Click on the following link for drawing TDC DWG No: ED 4110/1/5/1 dated 1978)
Beach Hut Drawing ED 4110-1-5-1.jpg

Leisure Services

Amended Clause (12) and (13) (i) issued July 1979