Planning Application Submitted for Exmouth Scheme

The Environment Agency has just released the latest update on the £12 million Exmouth tidal defense scheme.

According to the update, a planning application for the project was submitted on 26 September 2018 to the local planning authority East Devon District Council.

The Environment Agency is currently carrying out ground investigation works in the area; these include up to 22 individual trial pits to establish ground conditions and service locations.

Last October, Team Van Oord (TVO) was awarded the design and build contract for the Exmouth scheme.

The scheme covers 3 areas:

• Area A – on the estuary side of Exmouth; it will involve raising flood defenses between the outfall of the Withycombe Brook and the Imperial recreation ground.
• Area B – around the ‘gut’; there will be raised 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. This will mean that areas of the Esplanade and highway will still be inundated during storms, however flood water will be stopped from flowing down nearby roads by the new defenses.

If the planning permission is granted this year, the Environment Agency aims to start construction in early 2019.