The Dorset County Council has approved a budget of £3m over 5 years, as a partnership funding contribution, for the West Bay Flood Protection Project.
This is towards an overall scheme cost of approximately £7m, the council said.
Working in collaboration with the Environment Agency, the project aims to deliver an improved standard of flood protection for the community of West Bay.
“The existing Environment Agency’s corporate plan and the DEFRA high level policy have helped inform the project plan,” said the official release.
It will support the recommendations laid out in the local Shoreline Management and Beach Management Plans. The key recommendation from these plans is to take further action to manage flood and coastal erosion risk in West Bay.
The three elements for the flood protection scheme are: East Beach, West Beach and Park Dean river embankment.
East Beach
The preferred solution is a line of rock buried within the shingle beach. This will include a set-back flood wall to capture over-topping water.
There are no funding implications for the Council, as this is an Environment Agency asset. Thus, it will be financed by them.
West Beach
Repairing the existing west groyne is the preferred option. This will sit alongside a new stub groyne. Also, more material will be added to the beach to bulk it up.
Finally, a set-back flood wall will add further protection.
Park Dean river embankment
The project recommends stabilizing the river bank. This will prevent erosion of the banks. Also, a wall to address the existing bank levels are low in places.