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Scarborough Coastal Defence Strategy for Scarborough Spa
5
December
A new 1.1 metre wave wall and rock armour could be constructed
around a stretch of Scarborough’s South Bay to protect the area
from the ravages of the North Sea, together with major slope
stabilisation works.
It is officers’ preferred option based on cost and environmental
impact and is among six that will be presented to Scarborough
Borough Council’s Cabinet next week, as the local authority looks
to bolster sea defences and “hold the line”.
When councillors have decided which of the options to take
forward, a business case will be submitted to the Environment
Agency so that further cash can be secured for the detailed design,
licenses and consents, planning applications, further widespread
public consultation and delivery of the scheme – through under new
Government funding arrangements, it is not clear if the Environment
Agency will be in a position to fund the 100% cost of the project.
If there are no stumbling blocks, work on the project could begin
as soon as July 2014.
The council’s cabinet portfolio holder for coastal and flood
defences, Cllr Andrew Backhouse, said:
“The sea wall around the Spa dates back to the 1840s and is in a
deteriorating condition. Problems include undercutting of the toe,
cracking and loss of joint material, voiding behind the sea wall
and displacement of masonry blocks, all affecting the stability of
the wall.
“It plays a key role in the stability of the cliff behind,
supporting the toe of the cliff and preventing its erosion and
over-steepening, which would inevitably lead to large scale
landslips. It’s clear the existing coastal defences at the Spa are
approaching the end of their life, despite ongoing maintenance and
repair.
“The cliff behind the Spa complex is known to be the site of a
pre-existing landslide prone to both frequent shallow small scale
landslides and rare major deep seated landslides.
“A major landslide has the potential to endanger the Spa Complex
and associated sea walls, in a similar manner to the 1993 Holbeck
Hall Hotel landslip 1km to the south, leading to further coastal
erosion and landsliding affecting cliff top properties and adjacent
frontages.
“There is already evidence of damage due to landslide movement
in the cliffs behind the Spa. Landslide risk is linked to the
integrity of sea defences and as the condition of the current
defences worsens, so the chance of a major landslide event
increases.
“The current height of the sea walls is not sufficient to
prevent severe wave overtopping, which causes damage to the
promenades and adjacent areas and presents a serious risk to public
safety.
“The current problems will be compounded further by the effects
of climate change. The predicted rise in sea levels and increase in
storm conditions means that sea defences will become the subject of
much more forceful waves at greater frequency – and the potential
for overtopping and breaching will undoubtedly increase.
“Contrary to some reports in the media, we are approaching the
point when we can no longer just simply pursue a tactic of make do
and mend. The sea defences are inadequate, wave overtopping is well
beyond safe levels and will get worse and the effectiveness of
these coastal defences continues to deteriorate.”
Scarborough borough councillors adopted the Scarborough Coastal
Defence Strategy in 2007 and agreed at that time a preferred option
to construct a revetment in front of the existing sea wall, build a
new wave return wall, and look at putting in new slope
stabilisation measures in the South Bay.
The current choice of solutions Cabinet will be asked to
consider next week – which sets out different combinations of wave
wall height and revetment size – fall under that strategic
option.
Officers say that when looking at possible solutions, they have
considered issues such as the height of the wave return wall and to
what extent it would impede views from the Spa and promenade; the
footprint of the revetment and its impact on the beach; and the
visual impact of the scheme on the views of the Spa from the beach
and across the bay as well as cost and the overall environmental
impact.
The report to Cabinet follows months of extensive consultation
with the public and key stakeholders.