£2million beach management works underway along Kent coast
The project in Folkestone is costing the Environment Agency two million pounds and is expected to take up to eight weeks
Beach management work is underway along the coast between Fisherman’s Beach and Folkestone Harbour.
Around 100,000 tonnes of shingle – the equivalent to 1,250 blue whales or 33,000 cars – will be recycled and regraded in the latest phase of the work to prevent flooding.
The project is costing the Environment Agency two million pounds and is expected to take up to eight weeks.
Work will pause over Christmas to minimise disruption.
Work to help protect more than 3,000 homes and businesses from flooding on the five-mile stretch of coast between Fisherman’s Beach and Folkestone Harbour got underway this week.
The process takes up to eight weeks to complete and is currently the most cost-effective way of protecting the district. Contrary to opinion, it offers far superior protection than the old timber groynes.
Cllr Stephen Scoffham – Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Biodiversity – said: “This work has been carried out twice a year since 2004 to reduce the possibly of flooding and coastal erosion by helping to shield the sea wall.”
“We secured £2.35m of Environment Agency funding earlier this year to ensure this important programme can continue for the next five years.”
Shingle is moved from east to west to allow the longshore drift to naturally spread it to aid the prevention of overtopping during storm events.
Any disruption will be kept to a minimum – no work will be carried out between Christmas and the new year.