To protect residential properties and infrastructure from further coastal erosion, approximately 40,000 cubic meters of sand will be pumped onto Shore Road beach.
During last year’s winter storms, Shore Road beach suffered a significant loss of sand along the frontage. Approximately 10 years worth of erosion occurred in just a couple of months, now requiring the sand to be replenished.
Government funding totaling $1.1 million has been secured to carry out the repairs. Works will start mid November and will continue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a period of 2 weeks, although contractors, Rohde Nielsen, are likely to be on site for between 4-5 weeks.
The first 2 weeks will involve building the pipeline on the beach. The dredger will pump the sand onto the beach, 350m either side of Shore Road, for the next 2 weeks and the final week will involve removing the pipeline and clearing the site.
The sand will be supplied by Poole Harbor Commissioners from the maintenance dredging of the Swash Channel. With each load the dredger will move to a position off the beach at Shore Road, connect to a pipeline and pump the sand ashore. The sand will then be moved around and leveled by bulldozers.
Councillor Xena Dion , Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Flood and Coastal Management, Borough of Poole , said: “ Considering the strength of the storms our system of flood defenses worked very well but they need to be replenished. Working in partnership with the Environment Agency and Poole Harbor Commissioners, we have created an efficient process that recycles the same sand that is already on our award-winning beaches.”
Access to the beach will be maintained where practicable, but it will be necessary to close short sections of the beach when the sand is being pumped ashore and being moved by heavy machinery. Signage will be in place to inform people when this happens.
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Press Release