Works to protect the resort from coastal erosion get the green light from East Devon District Council

A Beach Management Plan for Seaton has been given the go ahead by members of East Devon District Council’s Cabinet.

The scheme will upgrade the defences from Seaton Hole to West Walk to reduce erosion.

The BMP has been developed over the past nine months by the council’s consultants CH2M (now Jacobs), supported by a local stakeholder group made up of local groups and councillors with an interest in this stretch of coast. There has also been extensive public consultation.

The plan aims to ensure that the town’s coastal defences continue to provide a good level of protection against flood and erosion, and will determine an appropriate management regime for Axmouth spit to compliment Seaton Town Council’s vision for the seafront.

For the coastline from Seaton Hole to West Walk, the BMP preferred option is to upgrade or replace the existing concrete and rock structures at the base of the cliffs, replacing the wire mesh baskets filled with small rocks from the bottom of the cliffs to the Check House seawall with large rock sea defences similar to those further West and to upgrade the Check House seawall.

It is intended that this will form a continuous line of defence from Seaton Hole to West Walk and will help continue and improve the protection to the toe of the cliffs.

Cliff top drainage measures have also been recommended in this area, to help reduce the effect of heavy rainfall on the stability of the cliff.

For the defences along Seaton Beach and the Environment Agency seawall, the BMP has recommended improved drainage to the rear of the wall, to help direct water that comes over the wall during storms and no alterations to the existing Environment Agency seawall, which was constructed in the 1970s.

The BMP has also been looking at options for disposal of sediment from Axmouth Harbour.

Seaton councillor Marcus Hartnell, EDDC’s deputy portfolio holder for the environment and chairman of the Stakeholder Group, said: “I was really pleased to see so many people having their say during the project, and it’s fantastic that the district council is committed to taking forwards a scheme to reduce erosion and help protect our town.”