Gorleston Beach
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  • These events occurrred in the years 2004/5
 

Residents Representatives meet Council.

Gorleston Coastal Protection Meeting between Council, Halcrow and Representatives of Residents of Gorleston on Mon 24th Jan 2005

Environment and Health
Maltings House
Gorleston
Thu 24th Feb 2005

Dear Resident

Please find the attached notes which were produced from the meeting that took place on Monday 24 January 2005 between the Council (and its Coastal Advisors, Halcrow) and a number of residents who had been identified at the public meeting at Gorleston Library on 29 September 2004.

Mr Watson raised a fundamental issue and I have included in full a section from his letter which I hope reflects his point clearly. It is an issue that will need clarification at the public meeting so there is no misunderstanding for the future.

My own understanding was that it was said that if there was an 'emergency' or urgency item of disrepair affecting the sea wall the Council would obviously carry the necessary 'patch and mend' repair, any substantial longer term sustainable repair scheme would be subject to achieving DEFRA funding.

This is not an unusual position since all authorities who are responsible for Coastal defence, be it a District (Borough) Council or the Environment Agency, rely on successful funding bids from DEFRA to enable them to carry out 'defence schemes'. In the case of Great Yarmouth our Engineers and Consultants continually monitor our coastline and submit bids to address specific areas depending on the risks and whether (probably more importantly in bid terms) any such work meet the application rules which DEFRA apply. Recent past work along the Californian/Scratby cliff base, the 'rip-rap' at Gorleston and the recent works at Caister on Sea were carried out using Government (DEFRA) monies.

Residents are now part of the Consultation process for the Councils current bid for Gorleston.

At the public meeting on 22 March 2005, Council Consultants Halcrow will present a scheme based on the opinions expressed at the meeting held on 24 January 2005. This will direct the bid application to reflect a scheme carrying out a more substantial repair to the sea wall together with a 5 year monitoring programme of the beach to establish more robustly actual sand movement, attrition or gain.

There has been some difficulty confirming the meeting date for a number of reasons including the availability of key people and obtaining a venue of adequate size. We have already apologised for underestimating the number of people who wished to attend the meeting at our normal Gorleston Library venue which did cause us both health and safety concerns as well as disappointment to those residents who were not able to enter the conference area. St Andrews will allow a 200 seated audience.

The meeting will be chaired by Councillor Collins in his capacity as Deputy Leader of the Council.

Yours sincerely

John Hemsworth

Head of Environment and Health

Gorleston Coast Protection Meeting

Gt Yarmouth Town Hall on Monday, 24th January 2005 - 6:60 pm

Following the Public Meeting held on the 29 September 2004 at Gorleston Library to discuss the proposed Gorleston Coastal Protection Scheme, representatives from the Borough Council and from the Council's consultants, Messrs Halcrow Group Limited, met with a number of residents from Gorleston to discuss in further detail issues relating to Gorleston Coast Protection.

Mr M Barrow reminded the representatives present that the Borough Council had not at this stage made any firm decisions with regard to the final Gorleston Coast Protection Scheme which would be submitted to the Government. He assured the representatives that the Borough Council was not driven by the Government funding.

The Borough Council was looking to provide a scheme to meet the necessary requirements for protecting the coastline. Any proposals submitted to Government had, however, to comply with the conditions of application if there was to be any chance of success.

At this stage, the Chairman opened the meeting to the residents of Gorleston for their comments as follows:-

Index of Contributors

Mr A Cunningham
Mr P Johnson
Mr J Campbell
Mr N Ward
Mr T Watson
Mr R J Docwra
Mr M Barrow
Mr B Hamer
Views on proposed course of action
Additional points
Closing Statement
Addendum
 

Mr A Cunningham

In his view there is no evidence in respect of the beach in the study area that there will be the annual attrition rate of sand as predicted.

Some erosion had occurred in the area of the beach near to the Gorleston Golf Club.

Mr Cunningham referred to a CD of Historic Great Yarmouth which included historical footage with regard to the area of the Gorleston beach.

In Mr Cunningham's opinion, it would not be necessary for the proposed reef solution to be pursued and that in fact he was challenging the legitimacy of the evidence provided by the Council's consultants.

Reference was made for the need for regular beach profiling to take place and the need for a more logical solution to be found to strengthen the sea wall.

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Mr P Johnson

The need to establish the parameters first and then undertake the necessary studies. (The same technical design solution is highly unlikely to satisfy the design parameters for the case of AND without the Outer Harbour being in place. PJ)

Mr Johnson's main objection was that, in his view, there was no evidence of an engineering solution to substantiate the major change now being proposed. (Therefore the technical design solution currently proposed is not proven to work in both the above scenarios. PJ)

The construction proposed would strict the tidal flow. (The type of construction proposed will dramatically alter the tidal flow, and consequent erosion and/or situation patterns in the whole area. PJ)Mr P Johnson

Mr Johnson would wish to see more evidence in support of the reefs solution. (The safety aspects can not be ignored. The structure proposed will be very dangerous to all who use the water e.g. swimmers, sailors, surfers etc. PJ)

Reference was made to the problem of having a breakwater at mid-tide. (If a high spring tide coincides with a high onshore wind and a large storm surge, the consequent large waves will probably not be sufficiently reduced in power in order to prevent serious damage to the seawall/lower parade. PJ)

In storm conditions the proposed design would be inadequate since it would be beneath the height of the waves.

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Mr J Campbell

There was presently little holding the cliffs together as they were made of sand.

It would be difficult to advocate any scheme without knowledge with regard to the proposals for the Outer Harbour.

Mr Campbell questioned the indemnity cover from East Port in relation to any beach and/or coast erosion build up as a consequence of the structure when it was completed.

The pre-1968 level of beach needs to be restored. It would be a much cheaper option to reconstruct the cozies.

The Borough Council should make the 'Representations' with regard to the level of aggregate dredging from the outer banks.

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Mr N Ward

He was not commenting as a sea defence engineer but as a resident of Gorleston interested in environmental issues and in the welfare of Gorleston.

He was not convinced about the evidence as presented.

He had concern about the effect of the proposed Outer Harbour.

Man made solutions may affect the current situation.

Mr Ward questioned the Council's responsibility for the maintenance of the sea wall.

He believed the case that was being made for the reef solution was because they are of a new concept but he made the point that the design proposed was different to that at Sea Palling.

Reference was made to the problem of safety with regard to the proposed reefs.

The beach would still need to be nourished with sand each year if the reef solution was pursued.

Consideration should be given to a 'polymer fronds' solution where sealed matting would be used rather than rocks.

Consideration should be given to further armoured rock being provided to protect the sea wall.

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Mr T Watson

Mr Watson stated that he was disappointed with the way this whole issue had been dealt with, especially by Borough Council Officers.

He believed that, from his long engineering management experience the report was poor. TW) He believed Halcrow's report had been written in such a way to justify the reef solution.

Oceanography - on a precautionary principle, this should not go ahead and reference was made to the effect that there would be on the scheme by the offshore windfarm and the Outer Harbour.

Engineering - the proposed reef design was poor, lacked definition and substance. The sea wall could be repaired using shuttering, re-bars and concreting. Independent expert advice that Mr Watson had obtained backed up his view. He stated that Halcrow's own report showed that this method would cost about £3 million. The damage to the sea wall was due to neglect by the Council, frost damage and poor design, but not as a result of wave damage. TW)

Safety aspects - these had been overlooked and glossed over.

Visual impact - this was understated as the proposed reefs would be seen for the majority of the time, (and the navigation poles on the end of each reef would be seen for all of the time. TW)

In conclusion therefore Mr Watson maintained that the proposal did not stack up and was totally inappropriate.

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Mr R J Docwra

Mr Docwra referred to the scheme carried out at Sea Palling and referred to its, in his opinion, perceived failure.

Mr Docwra was not convinced that the geography at Gorleston was any different to that at Sea Palling.

The proposed scheme would mean that there would be a swell on both sides.

If the reefs fail, where is the money to replenish the beach?

Will funding be used to patch up the sea wall/promenade?

Mr Docwra made the point that the offshore windfarm was losing sand to the north due to scouring around the bases of the turbines.

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Following the above comments of the residents, the Chairman then invited the Council's Officers/consultants to comment as follows:-

 

Mr M Barrow

Mr Barrow reiterated the fact that the Borough Council had not reached any firm conclusions on this issue.

He questioned what would happen to the Gorleston beach in the event of the rise in sea levels as predicted by the Government.

Nobody can actually be sure what will happen to the beach over the next one hundred years. All proposals were assumptions at this stage.

Mr Barrow stated that the Council was always looking to repair and improve the sea wall, but questioned again what action should be considered in the event of beach loss.

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Mr B Hamer

The consultants were looking at a one hundred year time frame.

Mr Hamer sought a consensus from the residents of their view as to whether or not the beach at Gorleston was under pressure.

Reference was made to the need to ensure sustainable coastal defences.

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Views on proposed course of action

Following the submission of comments by both the residents and Officers/consultants, the meeting was then asked for views on the following course of action:-

The Borough Council request their Consultants to prepare a report which would enable a submission to DEFRA for substantial repairs to be carried out to the sea wall in Year One.

A five year monitoring programme be designed and undertaken to produce a database to monitor beach levels.

Following the five year monitoring process consideration be given to whether any further beach protection was necessary and if so to identify the most appropriate protection scheme for Gorleston.

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Additional points

In considering the above course of action the following additional points were made:-

Mr T Watson - there was a need to fully repair the sea wall and, in his view, a need to change the current consultants. He suggested that the consultants used with regard to the Morecombe Bay project should be used.

Mr M Barrow - the cost of the repairs to the sea wall would be subject to a successful application for Government funding and would not be met by local tax payers.

Mr P Johnson - there was no confidence in any of the proposed engineering solutions.

Mr N Ward - if the groynes became exposed who would fund their repair?

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Meeting End

The Chairman concluded the meeting by thanking the residents for their attendance and for the comments made at the meeting. He stated that a further Public Meeting would be held in approximately six weeks' time to consider the notes produced from this meeting and to give further consideration to the Council's proposed course of action as outlined above.

The point was made that the Executive of the Borough Council would need to formally agree any proposed course of action. A final proposal would probably be referred to a full meeting of the Council.

It was agreed that the notes of this meeting would be circulated to all those present for confirmation and accuracy, prior to being included in the invitation to the proposed public meeting which would be sent to all those residents who identified themselves at the first meeting. The details of the public meeting would be advertised in both the Great Yarmouth Mercury and Advertiser.

The meeting concluded at 8.05 pm.

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Addendum


of additional comments submitted by Mr T Watson in his letter dated 13 February 2005.

I have no recollection, nor any help from my notes, that Mr Barrow stated as written that the cost of the repairs would be subject to a successful application and would not be met by the local tax payers'. If he had so, I would have challenged this, as you may presume, since this implies that no repair will be made if the application is unsuccessful.

My notes show that Mr Barrow stated that at various times in the meeting that the Council would seek a DEFRA grant for the sea wall (as I had suggested in the public meeting) but not for the reefs. He did not state, and there was no suggestion made then that, if not successful, the Council would not pay for the necessary repairs from the normal Council budget. Indeed Councillor Collins made a point of stating, (see below) in answer to my question, that there would be no council tax rise from this exercise since in relation to the total budget, this repair budget was quite small. For clarification it was and still is presumed that if the DEFRA application for funding is not successful, then the Council will repair the sea wall in due course from the local budget.

To this end it is necessary to add under additional points a statement which was omitted:-
Councillor Collins - in the event the Government were not to make a grant, there would be no rise in Council tax from the repair to the sea wall when it was carried out by the Council, since the amount for the repair was small in relation to the total council budget.

Clearly if Mr Barrow stands by his statement, it implies that no repairs will be carried out, whereas the Council has stated this is not an option. I believe Mr Barrows statement was 'the cost of the repairs would be sought from Government funding instead of an application for a reefs installation'. And I suggest that it is written as such.

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