Sidmouth sea defense scheme on the table

A new bigger, and better Sidmouth sea defense scheme is now back on the table after recent changes to the eligibility for funding from various bodies.

This news from East Devon District Council (EDDC) was revealed in a public meeting with the Sidmouth and East Beach Management Plan Project Advisory Group on Thursday, February 24.

The additional funding eligibility has been made available because of changes to the funding matrix, by the Environment Agency and other bodies, for this long-awaited scheme.

This means the town could get the vital coastal defences it needs, better protecting the town from major storms and its East Beach cliffs from further erosion.

The advisory group voted in favor of pausing the current working draft option to look again at alternatives that were previously felt to be unaffordable.

An urgent report is now set to go before the EDDC’s Cabinet asking for councilors to decide whether they want to investigate options previously dismissed because of insufficient funding, including but not limited to offshore rock islands.

The current preferred option at Sidmouth is to invest around £9million in a coastal defense scheme which would involve beach replenishment, periodic beach recycling, a new rock groyne on East Beach and modifications to the River Sid training wall.

EDDC’s Cabinet will make the final decision on what option goes ahead.