EA braces the storm for Devon defence

05 September 2007

The Environment Agency has brought forward a £400,000 scheme to improve upgrade defences in a Devon resort so improvements can be completed in time for winter storms.

The work will see the construction of a new length of sea wall at Beesands, a popular tourist spot and fishing village in the South Hams area of Devon. The town is already protected from the sea by a wave return wall and rock armour (boulders).

However, the wall doesn’t extend to the southern end of the village where properties are still vulnerable during storms. Following consultations the EA prepared a design and secured funding to extend the existing wave return wall by 70 metres to protect the southern end of the village and reduce the risk of flooding of adjoining properties during severe storms.

A pair of specially designed floodgates will be installed at the far end of the promenade between two waterfront properties: Cliff House and Cliffside. The flood gates will be timber-clad to complement Cliff House, a Grade II Listed Building and linked by telemetry to the Environment Agency’s control room so that flood duty officers can check whether they are closed prior to a storm. The new wall had to be designed to protect local properties without spoiling their view of the surrounding coastline.

Construction traffic will travel to and from the site by alternative routes to minimise disruption in line with the recommendations of Stokenham Parish Council and approval of Devon County Council.

For safety reasons there will be no public access within the construction site. The contract has been awarded to Interserve Project Services Ltd and construction work is due to start on September 24. Graham Buxton-Smith from the EA said: ‘In designing the new wall and gates we’ve tried to give the people of Beesands the best possible scheme.’

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EA braces the storm for Devon defence

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