Dredging delivers for coastal protection

VBA Joint Venture Ltd, consisting of Boskalis Westminster, Volker Stevin and Atkins won the contract for the scheme which was designed and is project managed by Mott MacDonald for Tendring District Council.

The first phase of works began with demolishing the existing concrete and timber groynes from the radar mast to Brighton Road at Holland-on-Sea and removing them in preparation for the construction works.

With these structures removed, beach replenishment material will be won from a Crown Estate licenced offshore site and will be be rainbowed onto the shore from a special shallow draft trailing suction hopper dredger to create platforms from which the construction program will be carried out.

Rock will be shipped in by sea from a quarry in Norway to create 23 new fishtail groynes and the beach recharge will involve about 950,000m3 of sand and shingle.

Nick Turner, Tendring District Council’s (TDC) Cabinet Member for Environment and Coast Protection, said: “What we will finish up with in about 18 months’ time are coastal defences which will protect more than 3,000 residential and commercial properties for the next 100 years.”

“Much more than that it will signal a catalyst for the renaissance of our seafront and open up a whole range of investment and regeneration opportunities. It is definitely more than just a coast defence scheme.”

Essex County Councillor John Jowers, Cabinet Member for Libraries, Communities and Planning, said: “It is excellent to see this critical coastal defence scheme get underway. ECC was pleased to contribute funding as it will help make a real difference to the lives of residents and businesses in the Clacton to Holland-on-Sea area.”

The project will be completed in two phases. The first is from Holland Haven to Brighton Road and then from Brighton Road to Clacton Pier. The phases are subject to tidal and weather conditions and may change as the project goes forward.

By Larz Bourne