Significant progress has been made over the first few months of a £36 million scheme to improve coastal defenses between Holland-on-Sea and Clacton.
Two new fish tail groynes have already been built – two others are more than 80 per cent towards completion and will be finished during the next week.
So far around 70,000 tons of granite has been delivered to the site from Norway to carry out the construction.
Work will be carrying on throughout half term and it is an ideal time for anyone to visit the area and call in at the visitor center at Holland Haven next to Clacton Sailing Club.
Nick Turner, Tendring District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Coast Protection , said that there is plenty to witness with the project moving on at pace.
“With a good weather forecast for the week and the construction moving ahead all the time I am sure that families will find it fascinating to watch the work as it proceeds,” he said.
“ The visitor center is open every day from 10am to 4pm and there is a chance to find out more about the scheme. Members of the team will be on hand to answer any questions.”
All but one of the old groynes between The Esplanade and Cliff Road has been removed.
Material from the structures is being crushed and re-used in the core of the new groynes and the remains of the timber defenses are being stored to be used elsewhere in the District.
About 60,000 cubic meters of material was needed for the initial beach recharge to create the platforms at each of the new groyne locations for phase one of the works. It was rainbowed onto the beach from offshore just before high water and this started at the end of July.
The main contractor for the scheme is VBA Joint Venture Limited, with the program being project managed by Mott MacDonald. The new coastal defenses will protect more than 3,000 residential and commercial properties for the next 100 years and will act as a catalyst for the renaissance of the seafront.
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Press Release