Glass sea wall in Sidmouth is viable but it would need CCTV protection says council

CCTV would be needed to protect any 'glass sea wall' as part of sea defences on Sidmouth seafront from vandalism.

A temporary glass panel was installed on Sidmouth seafront earlier this year as part of a trial to see whether it could be a viable option as a sea defence.

The splash defence would part of Sidmouth and East Beach Management Plan that has been designed to try and protect the town from the elements and reduce the rate of erosion following several large cliff failures shown at Pennington Point and along East Cliff.

And tests have shown that the glass sea wall was left virtually unscathed as a result of the impact from the sea, with the only damage being from the vandalism where it was smashed with what was believed to have been a hammer.

The landward pane had been damaged, although the middle laminate and seaward pane were not broken, the tests revealed.

East Devon District Council has said that the test demonstrated the glass could be a viable option, with only some very minor scuffing from the impact of shingle being thrown against it.

But they added that either CCTV or a deterrent from vandalism, would be required, if it was to be chosen as part of the Sidmouth beach management plan solution.

Deliberate criminal damage was clearly been inflicted on the glass's landward facing surface – possibly with a hammer or similar heavy instrument – overnight on March 10/11 this year.

No arrests have yet been made, a Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman confirmed today, with anyone with information asked to contact police on 101 and quote crime reference CR/021595/20.

The beach management scheme for the town, which consists of adding a new rock groyne on East Beach, importing new shingle onto Sidmouth Beach, and East Beach, and raising the existing splash wall along the rear of the promenade, aims to maintain the 1990's Sidmouth Coastal Defence Scheme Standard of Service and reduce the rate of beach and cliff erosion to the east of the River Sid, and the cash had to be found by August 2020.

East Devon's proposed scheme has more than £137m of economic benefits and will protect 120 residential properties from coastal flooding, as well as a further five properties from erosion, by slowing the erosion rate of the East Beach cliff.

The preferred plan for Sidmouth would involve beach replenishment, periodic beach recycling, a new rock groyne on East Beach, repairs to the river Sid training wall, and raising the height of the splash wall by one metre.

Subject to final approval by Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs, that £1m funding gap that the scheme faced has been bridged, and it enables East Devon District Council to move forward to submit a full business case for the scheme.

The council is planning to host a public exhibition, when circumstances allow, in order to gather feedback on the details of the proposals, including the glass splash panel, prior to submitting a planning application.

The location and format has not yet been confirmed due to coronavirus restrictions – where comments can be made over the types of splash defence available, what method would be preferable, and in which location.