Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: Town Council chooses breakwaters to protect and regenerate beach
Here's a further report from Pulman's Weekly:
Sidmouth Town Council agrees on beach management plan
SIDMOUTH Town Council have unanimously agreed on the preferred beach management plan they would like to see implemented to deliver coastal defences the shoreline so desperately needs.
Option 4b (pictured) was chosen as its is hoped it will greatly improve Sidmouth seafront as an amenity for tourists, as well as protecting the coastline.
There were four options that CH2M, the consultants involved in the project, put forward as possible solutions to the problem, Option 4b (the option which has been recommended by the town council and the steering group) was an alternative to Option 4 not a standalone Option 5.
A spokesperson for the Beach Management Plan Steering Group said: “The idea is to do away with the rock groynes on the beach and use them to build a chain of three or four semi-submerged reefs from the existing breakwaters to East Beach that would act like the scales on a fish to south-westerly storms, thereby extending the large sheltered beach and tombolos behind the existing breakwaters to east beach.
“Because each reef in the chain is protected by its forerunner, they could get smaller as they approached East Beach and reduce terminal erosion.
“The starting assumption is the new reefs in combination with the existing breakwaters will also create wide, strong beaches along the whole sea front in the same manner. As with all the options this is a concept that will need to be tested, probably with the use of a physical model at the detailed design stage.”
The final decision on the plan will be made by East Devon District Council, however, they have to take the views of the steering group, Sidmouth Town Council and the stakeholder organisations, such as the Sid Vale Association, and other organisations in Sidmouth, and they can only put through a final option that will be approved by Natural England, the National Trust and the Environment Agency.
If Natural England, the National Trust or the Environment Agency don’t support the plan, then it has very little chance of making it through central planning or DEFRA, who will ultimately put up most of the money to fund it.
EDDC will also have to find match funding depending on each option and that could come from a potential range of sources including Big Lottery Coastal Community Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund. Before June 23rd EDDC could have applied for funding from the EU, but after referendum, that will no longer be possible.
East Devon District Councillor, Cathy Gardner who sits on the Beach Management Plan Steering Group said: “I am delighted that STC have supported the additional option and I hope that the money is found to build the right option: the one that gives the best defence for Sidmouth and the best visual and amenity outcome for the beach.
“The beach requires a robust long-term solution, not a cheap quick fix.”
Sidmouth Town Council agrees on beach management plan.
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