Sidmouth splash wall must be one metre tall but it can be 'enhanced' council told

A proposed splash wall along Sidmouth seafront intended to protect the town from flooding must be at least one metre high, Sidmouth Town Council was told this evening.

The chairman of Sidmouth's Beach Management Plan Steering Group, councillor Geoff Jung, told councillors at a full meeting of Sidmouth town council that the wall must be at least one metre high but the wall does not have to be entirely concrete. It could be 'enhanced' with glass panels, built in seating and planting.

Sidmouth's town councillors pressed Mr Jung, portfolio holder for the Environment at East Devon District Council, for a formal timetable for the work on Sidmouth Seafront and East Beach.

Councillor Jung was not able to give a specific timetable but did say he would like to see work begin within the next two to three years.

The two key components of the BMP are a splash wall or 'barrier' along the seafront and the installation of a rock groyne in East Beach.

Councillor Jung told Sidmouth Town Council: "No matter what we do now, due to climate change, sea levels will rise by one metre over the next 100 years.

"The beach level in Sidmouth has been tremendously varied over the last few decades. Engineers tell us it has to be at least one metre high, the engineers would actually prefer the wall to be significantly higher.

"It might be slightly less than a metre in some places. We don't envisage it running along the entire length of the seafront."

A number of glass panels will be installed along Sidmouth seafront this month to see if they can survive stormy weather and potential damage from shingles being thrown up against the seafront in storms.

"We could actually enhance the seafront with this barrier. It will just take more thought and possibly more money.

"There are ways of having of having a splash defence without it intruding on the town. Without a splash wall the town is at risk of being inundated with properties flooded."

He added: "There will be a Boscastle flooding event every three years and it could be Sidmouth. With short river catchment areas and high hills around you Sidmouth is susceptible to both surface and sea water."

Mr Jung also pointed out that some panels on the proposed splash wall could be 'dropped down' during the summer season to reduce the visual impact of the wall. A team would have to be put in place to manage the drop down panels. This could be a group of volunteers or a paid for service.

During the meeting Mr Jung also told councillors the work on Sidmouth seafront should no longer be referred to as a splash wall.

"We're not calling it a splash wall any more, it's a splash barrier. It's got a bad name, we prefer barrier."

Councillor Marianne Rixson voiced concerns about the impact river flow has on surface water flooding and suggested using beavers, much like they do on the River Otter, to reduce the river's flow.

Pressing Mr Jung for more details on when a planning application may be submitted for the work councillor Louise Cole said: "I do sit here somewhat in despair, the beach management plan has been reiterated and talked about for a number of years.

"I understand how complex it is and that not everyone is going to be happy. I still feel a sense of deja vu of things progressing to a certain point and then stalling. Where is there any commitment to realising this as an actual project? I can see us talking about this in five years time."

Mr Jung responded: "I'd like to see this project begun before I retire in roughly two to three years time. People in Cliff Road have been worrying about this for years and that's not right.

"I'm not going to make promises but I'd like to think the project will have started in the next three years. I would like to think we would have set a date by Easter."

District and town councillor Denise Bickley cautioned against a featureless splash wall, she said: "We're not ever going to say yes to a Seaton style sea wall. We should be aspirational, we can't end up with another Seaton."

Councillor John Loudon urged councillors and the public to 'wait and see' the results of the current discussions before passing judgement on the plan.

"I see what you've done tonight as the beginning of a process of talking to us and the community," said Mr Loudon.

"I hope that people can hang on and wait and see the results of these discussions in the next nine months or so. This is a process of listening and getting the best value for the limited amount of money available.

"Everybody's going to have different priorities, we're going to hack off somebody, that's unavoidable. Doing nothing is not the answer. I think it may well be longer than Easter before we see a proper timetable. We need the public to know that work on this will commence over the next year or two.

"We're not going to please everybody, we have to do what we feel is best for the town."