Beach Management Plan: public exhibition 19th April > an opportunity for local people to learn more about outline design to help flooding and erosion in Sidmouth

The Beach Management Plan is slowly making its way - with a new chair:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: meeting Thursday 15th March >>> further reports

It does need to speed up a bit:
Futures Forum: Dramatic cliff falls on Eastern Beach - and at Hanger Cliff: "our common assets"
Futures Forum: "If Pennington Point goes another four or five metres, the River Sid will become the sea - and Sidmouth will be under water."

But any decisions need to be informed decisions - and with that in view, the BMP steering group are putting on an exhibition next week:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: public exhibition 19th April @ Kennaway House

The Vision Group representative on the steering group has forwarded this message:

Dear VGS Colleagues and other neighbours,
I have been asked to publish the message below to others in the Vision Group. I do so without criticising or endorsing it in its entirety but I do urge all concerned citizens and neighbours to go along to the display and to get some professional advice from the consultants about what is being proposed; and to encourage others to do the same.

Robert Crick

Vision Group for Sidmouth - Beach Management Plan: latest 

With the note from the District Council's Engineering Projects Manager here: 

Local people can learn more about outline design to help flooding and erosion in Sidmouth

9 April 2018

Local people will shortly be able to see the progress that has been made by East Devon District Council on the outline design for the Sidmouth and East Beach Beach Management Scheme at a public exhibition, which is taking place at Kennaway House, Sidmouth, on Thursday 19 April 2018, from 1pm to 7pm. The scheme’s aim is to reduce the risk of flooding to Sidmouth and to reduce the rate of erosion on East Beach.

Over the past nine months, the council’s consultants Royal HaskoningDHV have been developing more detailed models of flood risk and the movement of shingle in response to storms to develop the outline design for the scheme.

This information has been used to develop the preferred option from the Beach Management Plan, which was to add one or possibly two rock groynes on East Beach, modify the River Sid training wall (for improved maintenance access to East Beach), and to recharge (add more shingle) and recycle (move shingle East to West periodically) over the lifetime of the scheme.

Based on the more detailed investigations to develop the Beach Management Scheme, the design has evolved slightly. It is thought that a modest increase in height of the existing splash wall would be helpful in managing the risk of flooding along the main Sidmouth seafront, and that maintenance access to East Beach may be better achieved by keeping the training wall in its present configuration and possibly adding an access ramp.

Royal HaskoningDHV will be on hand at the public exhibition to answer questions about the outline design, together with members of the project steering group who have also been invited to help explain the background to the project and their role in getting the project to this point.

Devon County Council will also be displaying information about the replacement Alma Bridge, in advance of submitting its planning application.

Kind regards,

Dave Turner

Engineering Projects Manager
East Devon District Council
dturner@eastdevon.gov.uk

Here meanwhile is the District Council's press release: 

Find out more about East Devon’s Sidmouth and East Beach Management Scheme at a public exhibition

10 April 2018

Come to the public exhibition and learn more about the outline design for the Sidmouth and East Beach Management Scheme

Public exhibition for beach management scheme to take place at Kennaway House, Sidmouth, on Thursday 19 April 2018, from 1pm to 7pm

On Thursday 19 April 2018, there will be an opportunity for members of the public to learn more about the background to the outline design for East Devon District Council’s Beach Management Scheme for Sidmouth and East Beach at an exhibition, from 1pm to 7pm at Kennaway House, Sidmouth.

The scheme aims to reduce the risk of flooding to Sidmouth by maintaining the standard of defences along Sidmouth Beach, and to reduce the rate of erosion to the cliffs to the East of the town (and therefore the rate of exposure of the East side of Sidmouth to coastal conditions).

Royal HaskoningDHV will be on hand to answer questions about how they’ve used the more detailed surveys, computer modelling and environmental assessments to help produce the outline design, which is part of the Outline Business Case, which will help secure part of the funding for the scheme to be built.

The preferred option from the Beach Management Plan, which was completed last year, was to add one or possibly two rock groynes on East Beach, modify the River Sid training wall (for improved maintenance access to East Beach), and to recharge (add more shingle) and recycle (move shingle East to West periodically) over the lifetime of the scheme. This has evolved slightly to keep the training wall similar to its present configuration, and improve maintenance access possibly via a ramp, and also to include consideration of raising the height of the existing splash wall.

As part of the public exhibition, East Devon and Royal HaskoningDHV would like to hear ideas from local people as to how the splash wall could be enhanced if it were to be raised – subject to additional funding being available. For example, could seating or artwork be incorporated?

Devon County Council will also be displaying information about the replacement Alma Bridge, in advance of submitting its planning application.

Cllr Tom Wright, Chairman of the BMP steering group, and East Devon’s portfolio holder for the environment, said:

“A lot of effort has gone into bringing forwards a scheme for Sidmouth and East Beach, so it would be great to see local people coming along to learn more about what the scheme could look like and to give us their views.”

Alex Lee, Royal HaskoningDHV project manager said:

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to show people all the work that has been carried out to date to progress the scheme. We’re looking forward to receiving ideas on enhancements that might be incorporated if the splash wall is raised in height.”

10 April 2018 - Find out more about East Devon’s Sidmouth and East Beach Management Scheme at a public exhibition - East Devon
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