Dawlish News
THOUSANDS of pounds have been pledged by East Devon District Council in the hope of bringing forward a scheme that should prevent tonnes of sand being washed across the estuary from Exmouth to Dawlish.
Concerns about sand being washed back and forth across the estuary have been going on for years.
The sand spit jutting out into the mouth of the Exe estuary from Dawlish Warren serves as a natural coastal defence system.
But a combination of climate change, tidal movements and storm events over the past few decades has left the shifting sands depleted, prompting concerns of a potential breach in the defences.
The Environment Agency and Teignbridge District Council are currently working on an £8.35m project to replenish the sand at Dawlish Warren in a sustainable manner.
They are currently in the appraisal stage and have asked East Devon District Council if it wants to piggy-back appraisal work on their scheme which would mean a substantial financial savings.
East Devon has set aside £75,000 for the appraisal work and is currently assessing the work required to Exmouth’s beach.
The 2013 Exe Estuary Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy drawn up by the Environment Agency identified the need for flood defence and beach management works at Dawlish Warren to stop the sand from disappearing.
