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Tendring District Councillors are exploring all options in their
bid to tackle the major issues facing the coastline at Clacton and
Holland-on-Sea.
The Council's Cabinet went on a fact-finding mission to
Felixstowe where £10.3 million worth of work is being carried out
along the resort's seafront.
The coastal defences on 1.5kms of the town's frontage have
reached the end of their life and are in the process of being
replaced.
Suffolk Coastal District Council appointed Mott MacDonald to
design the scheme which includes 18 rock groynes which follow the
same pattern as the old style wooden groynes, beach recharge,
access ramps and a rock revetment.
TDC's Cabinet met with Suffolk Coastal's Deputy Leader, Andy
Smith, and representatives of Mott MacDonald to find out more about
the initiative, how it was funded and whether a similar project
could be used at Clacton and Holland-on-Sea.
Pam Sambridge, TDC's Cabinet Member for Technical Services, said
it was a worth-while exercise and a lot had been learnt.
"We recently met with Royal Haskoning, one of Europe's leading
project management and engineering firms in this field," she
said.
"Now we have been out to a successful Government funded scheme
which has been overseen by another leading company in the field to
learn more how that was achieved and the project itself.
"They had very similar issues to us with beach levels dropping
and failing defences. We have seen for ourselves the new rock
groynes being installed, as opposed the fishtail design, and it
gives us other options to consider as we take this important issue
forward."
As a result of the visit Mott MacDonald has agreed to visit
Clacton and Holland-on-Sea without charge to see the problems and
offer advice.
Peter Halliday, TDC's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for
Finance and Assets, said everything possible is being done to come
up with the best solution, and one which provides the best value
for money.
"We need to protect and enhance our tourism offer which is vital
to the future of the District at the same time as protecting our
residential areas from coastal erosion," he said.
"We will continue to investigate every possible option until we
come up with the right coast protection scheme for Clacton and
Holland-on-Sea."
TDC is taking a positive lead in addressing the problems caused
by ongoing erosion from the sea which pose a major threat to the
area's tourism as well as homes.
The Council is updating the strategy and investigating the best
options available, which will include looking for those which will
enhance tourism and the environment.
That will involve improving popular beaches at Clacton from the
Pier towards Holland-on-Sea, stage by stage, and creating a robust
sea defence along the entire frontage up to Holland Haven.
TDC Leader Neil Stock and Cllr Peter Halliday have already had
meetings with the Chairman of the Environment Agency and senior
Government Ministers to take the case forward and put pressure on
the Government.
9/12/11
Related pages:
Coast Protection |