Option 6 - Rock Revetment

Rock Revetment in front of the existing seawall

1. Open beach with high amenity value
2. High capital expenditure
3. Beach material lost alongshore and offshore
4. Large recharge quantities required

Constructing a rock revetment in front of the existing seawall will prevent further deterioration of the seawall by preventing waves impacting it. Additionally, the reflectivity of the existing seawall will be reduced.

Option 7 - Sheet piles

Sheet piles and concrete wave return wall

1. Open beach with high amenity value
2. High capital expenditure
3. Beach material lost alongshore and offshore
4. Large recharge quantities required

Constructing a new in-situ concrete wave return wall in front of the existing vertical face and casting an in-situ slab over the existing apron. The structure toe will be stabilised by new steel sheet piles driven in front of the existing ones and replacing and refurbishing the existing rock toe protection.

Option 8 - Refurbish groyne field

Refurbish groyne field, recharge beach and refurbish existing seawall

1. Groyned beach with high amenity value
2. High capital expenditure
3. Beach material lost offshore
4. Large recharge quantities required

Ineffective structure due to predominantly cross-shore sediment transport.

Option 9 - Shore parallel reefs

Shore parallel reefs (Rock Armour), beach recharge and refurbish existing seawall

1. Stable bay shaped beaches with high amenity value
2. minimum loss of beach material
3. High capital expenditure

The rock reefs will improve the stability of the beach, reduce abrasion and result in more anaerobic conditions that will extend the residual life of the sheet piles.

Option 10 - Shore parallel reefs

Shore parallel reefs (sand filled geotextile containers), beach recharge and refurbish existing seawall

1. Stable beach with high amenity value
2. Minimum loss of beach material
3. Sections of the reefs will need to be reconstructed periodically

The geotextile container reefs will improve the stability of the beach, reduce abrasion and result in more anaerobic conditions that will extend the residual life of the sheet piles.

Well what do you know ?

These are the options presented by Halcrow for consideration by Great Yarmouth Borough Council. For some reason, only known to themselves, Councillors were reluctant to impart this information so that many residents were unable to come to an informed opinion regarding the Gorleston Sea Wall.

We always believe honesty is the best policy. Unfortunately not a word in any politicians vocabulary.