Weymouth coastal protection plan unveiled

Dorset Council has published their Weymouth Harbor & Esplanade Flood and Coastal Risk Management Strategy.

The paper details how they will ensure that the town is protected from potential coastal flooding and erosion by developing the harbor walls and esplanade sea defenses.

The strategy sets out the Council’s preferred approach – bringing together the findings and recommendations from numerous studies undertaken by both the Council and the Environment Agency.

The huge scale of engineering works will require investment in excess of £115million from multiple sources.

Around a quarter of this would be funded by Dorset Council and agreed as projects come forward for approval.

Weymouth already floods and is impacted by coastal erosion, said the Council.

With a predicted sea level rise of up to 1.3m over the next 100 years, the problems facing Weymouth will increase significantly.

This extensive program of wall replacement and raising around both the harbor and esplanade will both reduce flood risk and replace deteriorating walls.