Sea defences investment tops £4 million

Over the last seven months, work on 24 new timber groynes, seawall and promenade repairs, rock protection, handrail refurbishment and beach recycling has been taking place at Lane End and the King’s Hall. The £2.84 million project will be finished this week.

And last week, the council heard it had been successful in its bid for new money from the Environment Agency for the following projects:

• £619,000 for coast protection work between Swalecliffe and Hampton. This includes maintenance of the seawall and promenade, timber groynes, slope drainage and beach recycling.
• £361,000 for a new outfall at Swalecliffe Brook. This will help reduce the flood risk from the brook.
• £240,000 for additional maintenance of timber groynes to the east of the King’s Hall.

It brings the total investment in the district’s sea defences to more than £4 million in the last 18 months.

The council’s Head of Engineering, Liam Wooltorton, said: “Large, complex sea defence schemes such as the one we’ve just finished in Herne Bay can often run late and cost more than expected, but this one has ended when we said it would and has come in on the money.

“We have a strong track record in delivering projects like this to a high standard, which means the Environment Agency knows it will get excellent results for the funding it provides.

“We will now be finalising the timetable for the next three schemes, all of which will help to improve the protection of our coastline against the elements. More details will be given to residents in the areas where work will be taking place in due course.”

Published: 29 March 2019