Beach Management Plan: Consultants for 'investigatory work' appointed

The BMP is making official headway:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: Cabinet approves next stage

Even though there are still questions:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: 'technically favoured' option or 'preferred' option - and 'preferred' by whom?

Especially about what 'option' is being presented to a public which is expected to chip in a bit:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: and asking the public to fund a public project

Consultants for 'investigatory work' have now been appointed, according to today's press release:

11 May 2017 - Sidmouth Beach Management Scheme contract authorised by East Devon councillors - East Devon

But, again, only one scheme is referred to - and that is not the 'technically favoured' one:

Consultants chosen to take Sidmouth’s beach protection plan forward

PUBLISHED: 11:42 11 May 2017

Stephen Sumner

View of Sidmouth seafront. Picture: Alex Walton. Ref Sidmouth view 1

Royal HaskoningDHV’s predecessor designed Sidmouth’s current coastal protection scheme

Consultants with an ‘excellent’ track record for delivering coastal protection schemes have been selected for a project in Sidmouth.

Royal HaskoningDHV successfully tendered to conduct investigatory work for the town’s beach management plan, following evaluation by East Devon District Council (EDDC) and the Environment Agency.

It will carry out the outline design, which will include surveys of the seabed, sampling of the sediment, monitoring of currents and modelling.

The information accrued will help Royal HaskoningDHV produce an outline design for the scheme that will then need to be approved by the Environment Agency.

An EDDC spokeswoman said: “Royal HaskoningDHV’s predecessor undertook the design of the Sidmouth coast protection scheme in the 1990s and therefore they know the site well.

“They have recently successfully completed similar projects around the UK coast, including numerous projects in Devon and Cornwall for the Environment Agency, as well as coastal protection works at Borth and Lowestoft.

“Sidmouth’s beach management scheme will not be able to go ahead unless an estimated £3.3million of partnership funding can be sourced.

“If requisite funding is available, the earliest construction of a scheme on site is likely to be spring 2019.”

Surveying of the seabed and sediment sampling is being procured through Plymouth Coastal Observatory, which manages regular monitoring of the coastline around the South West.

EDDC chief executive Mark Williams said: “We’ve had an excellent response to our call for tenders for the next stage of this exciting project, and we’re delighted to be working with Royal HaskoningDHV, who have an excellent track record for delivering coastal protection schemes.”

Consultants chosen to take Sidmouth’s beach protection plan forward - Breaking news & sport in Sidmouth | Sidmouth Herald
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