Redcar seawall is likely to be reconstructed at a cost of £3.44m following discussions with local fishermen and the RNLI.

Last year, Redcar and Cleveland Council approved plans to construct an offshore breakwater with improvements to the Redcar seawall at a cost of £4.765m but this scheme was rejected.

The problems surfaced five years ago when severe storms washed away a metre of sand. Marine scientists told the council the vanishing sands are also threatening to undermine slipways and could affect leisure use of the beach.

Local fishermen and lifeboat crews were concerned about the proposed breakwater scheme and a meeting took place in June between the fishermen, lifeboatmen and the contractors chosen to carry out the work.

Dave Cammish, from Redcar Lifeboat, said the RNLI welcomed the decision to reconstruct the seawall. He said the RNLI felt the breakwater would create problems for fishermen returning to Redcar from the sea because it would alter the natural protection they currently get from the three scars.

He said: "We would welcome anything that protects Redcar from the problems of the sea so long as it wasn't detrimental to people who earn a living from the sea. We would welcome the proposal in respect of the seawall."

But the main reason the scheme was rejected was because of the concerns of English Nature for the wading birds that have made their habitat on the rocks. The breakwater would have obliterated that habitat and the organisation had the backing of European law.

In a report to the Council Executive, Ralph Ferguson, Redcar and Cleveland's Director of Technical Services, said: "It was clear that the construction of the breakwater would create an unacceptable hazardous obstruction for fishing boats and, in particular, the Redcar lifeboat. The offshore breakwater proposal was rejected. Consequently, the breakwater option should not be pursued."

The reconstruction of the seawall as a stand alone scheme will cost £3.44m.