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UK's Climate Change Minister Formally Opens New Sea Defences
01 Nov 2006
The UK’s Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Ian Pearson, formally opened a completed coastal defence scheme between Whitstable Harbour and Preston Parade on October 3rd. The ceremony marked the completion of an 11 month project to build new groynes and totally recharge the beach at West Beach.
The scheme, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was the major part of a £7m project to improve the Whitstable coastal defences to a high standard. It also includes the recently completed work at the east quay of the harbour.
The work started in November 2005 and was expected to be completed three months ahead of programme and within budget. This is despite problems with bad weather and choppy seas, surprisingly in August, which delayed the delivery of shingle by barge by three weeks.
In total, 49 new timber groynes have been constructed and 150,000 tonnes of beach shingle have been delivered by sea. Other works included improvements to promenades, a new boat launching ramp at Long Beach and reconstruction of the secondary sea defence bund across the golf course and the footpath on top of it.
The scheme, which was the largest in-house project the city council has so far carried out, has upgraded the defences to a high standard and helps protect the area for the next 50 to 100 years. The project site is located between Whitstable Harbour and Preston Parade. Other developments of the scheme included improvements to promenades and a new boat launching ramp.
By DAVID FOXWELL
