In pictures: Work to begin to remove Royal Sovereign Lighthouse off East Sussex coast

Back in June 2019 it was revealed that the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse would be decommissioned and removed from the seabed. It was reported that the owners of the lighthouse, which has stood out as a prominent landmark 11km out (6.8 miles) at sea since 1971, took the decision due to the structure’s deterioration.

The lighthouse, which was built with a design life of 50 years, was officially decommissioned in March last year. The structure’s duty was to mark the Royal Sovereign shoal to vessels.

A spokesperson from Trinity House, which built the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse, said: “Following the issue of Trinity House Notice to Mariners 18/2023 (‘Royal Sovereign Lighthouse and Buoys’), Trinity House’s appointed contractor will soon commence physical works to remove Royal Sovereign Lighthouse.

“The works, subject to sea conditions, may commence from August 2023, and will include removing the cabin, the lighthouse tower and the concrete pillar.

“Observers from the shore may notice the involvement of two large vessels, the first being a jack-up barge, followed by the large crane ship Gulliver.”

Following a competitive tender process, Trinity House signed a contract with marine contractors Herbosch-Kiere to carry out the works to remove the lighthouse.

The contract, worth approximately £16m, was signed at Trinity House’s London headquarters on April 4, 2023, with a timeline for completion no later than June 2025 - giving the contractor the necessary flexibility to work with the changing and challenging marine conditions.

The lantern tower will be brought ashore to Shoreham temporarily while Trinity House investigates options for retaining the tower within the local area for the benefit of the community.

Following the announcement back in 2019, deputy master captain Ian McNaught said: “It is never an easy decision to discontinue and even remove such a prominent aid to navigation, but our first priority will always be the safety of the mariner.”

In anticipation of the removal of Royal Sovereign Lighthouse, Trinity House upgraded Beachy Head Lighthouse.