30/06/2005 - Major improvement
work to protect residents and commercial properties
in Lancing, East Worthing and West Shoreham
from coastal flooding is now complete. The
third and final phase of the Environment Agency
flood defence scheme has finished ahead of
schedule.
The £18 million project was started
in 2003 and was carried out over three phases.
The Environment Agency has completed the final
phase and has now taken down all fencing,
leaving the beach fully open for the summer.
The flood defence scheme has improved the
existing coastal defences and now provides
essential protection to around 1,340 residential
and commercial properties in East Worthing,
Lancing and West Shoreham.
Work on this scheme has involved the construction
of 33 rock groynes, using almost 150,000 tonnes
of rock from Norway and France and the importation
of over 300,000 cubic metres of shingle from
the seabed off the Isle of Wight. The shingle
was pumped ashore and then carried to appropriate
locations on the beach. It provides the defence
from flooding whilst the rock groynes are
essential in keeping the shingle in place.
The Environment Agency’s Sussex Area Flood
Risk Manager, Andrew Gilham, said:
"We’re delighted that the work is complete
and residents and businesses in the area now
have improved protection from coastal flooding.
"This was a major scheme and whilst
we did all we could to minimise disturbance
and restrictions to residents and beach users,
works of this scale are likely to cause some
disruption to the public. We would like to
thank everyone for their continued patience
throughout the construction of the scheme.
"We worked hard to ensure that the flood
defence scheme was finished earlier than planned
and it’s great to see the beach now fully
open for everyone to enjoy throughout the
summer and with improved protection from flooding."
