Residents and visitors in Sunderland are being reminded that seasonal dog exclusion zones will return to local beaches from Friday 1 May 2026.
Restrictions will apply to sections of Roker Beach and Seaburn Beach from 1 May until 30 September.
During this period, there will still be designated areas where dogs are permitted on the beach.
Theย exclusion zones formย part of the City Councilโs wider Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which was introduced in 2019 in response to calls from residents for more enforcement action on anti-social behaviour issuesย rangingย from dog fouling to dropping litter.ย ย
This was renewed in 2024 for a further three years following public consultation.ย
Peter McIntyre, Executive Director of Economy & Place at Sunderland City Council, said:โฏ
โIn Sunderland we are very lucky to have some beautiful beaches that we can all be proud of, and we want to keep them clean and tidy for all our residents and visitors to enjoy.ย
โOne of the ways we do this is by enforcing a dog exclusion zone over the summer. We know that most residents are responsible and considerate dog owners, and we want to thank residents and visitors for adhering to the restrictions and helping us to keep the beaches looking their best over the summer months.โ
Anyone caught breaching the dog exclusion zone faces a ยฃ100 fine. In 2025, Sunderland City Council issued 18 fixed penalty notices for dogs in the exclusion zones at Roker and Seaburn.ย
For further information on the cityโs Public Spaces Protection Order and the area covered by the dog exclusion zone visitย Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) โ Sunderland City Councilย
Maps of Dog Exclusion Zones:
