Exmouth Surveys About to Begin

The Environment Agency is working in partnership with East Devon District Council to reduce flood risk in Exmouth, East Devon.

Team Van Oord (TVO) was awarded the design and build contract for the Exmouth tidal defense scheme in October 2017.

In February and March 2018 the EA will be carrying out a number of surveys in Exmouth.

The surveys will be taking place across Areas A, B and C and will include:

• topographic surveys (accurate recording of ground levels);
• bathymetric surveys (accurate recording of the sea bed);
• ground penetrating radar surveys (a technique that helps to identify utility services and other underground objects);
• property surveys (to establish possible flow routes into property).

“Once this information has been processed the Environment Agency will progress designs and then share them with people to see what they think. Eventually, once the design has been suitably developed, the Environment Agency will be submitting a planning application to the local authority,” reported the EA.

The contractors are working on an outline design, which includes 3 areas:

• Area A – on the estuary side of Exmouth; it will involve raising flood defenses between the Withycombe Brook and the Imperial recreation ground.
• Area B – around the ‘gut’; it will raise defenses between the Imperial recreation ground and Camperdown Terrace.
• Area C – involves the seafront, including the Esplanade from Mamhead slipway in the west, to between the clock tower and Premier Inn to the east. Works will include strengthening the existing seawall, and new set-back defenses along the landward side of the Esplanade.

Should planning permission be granted this year, the Environment Agency expects to start construction in early 2019.