Priority Action 2 - Littlestone to St Mary's Bay

Littlestone Road (18/1) to Jesson Outfall (18/5)

Present standard
Less than 1:10 years

Proposed standard
1:100 years

Summary
The standard of defence should be improved by constructing either timber/rock groynes and nourishing the beach with shingle. This solution is particularly appropriate for this frontage as littoral drift is low and beach losses after nourishment would be controllable. It would cover the frontage from Littlestone Road (18/1) at the southern end of the flood risk area, to Jesson Outfall (18/5) at the northern limit where the recently constructed seawall and timber groynes at the southern end of St Mary's Bay provide a sensible boundary for such a scheme.

Usage of the foreshore would be affected and recycling would need to be phased to minimise public disturbance. Raising the height of the walls at Pirate Springs (18/4) from 6.3mOD and Jesson Outfall (18/5) from 6.6mOD to 7.0mOD would bring the level in line with the height at Dymchurch Village Slipway and northward and would significantly improve the standard of defence afforded. The relatively short life of the present defences in this area (about 10 years) demands early work. However, without associated works to maintain beach levels in front of the wall, a solution involving only works to the wall would be undermined in the short to medium term (10-15 years). Therefore, the most appropriate solution is to adopt a composite approach of improving the beach regionally and raising the wall locally.

Estimated cost over the next fifty years (£)
£7,000,000

Estimated benefit over the next fifty years (£)
£33,000,000

Implementation Plan (subject to competing national priorities and funding)
Undertaken scheme appraisal and design (Year): 2000/1
Implement (Year): 2002/3

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For further information please contact: Robin Hayler