New Groynes at Herne Bay
HBM
Here's the blurb from the Marine Management Organisation:
Title of Project: Herne Bay Sea Defence Improvements
Background to Project (aims and objectives): Herne Bay is located on the North Kent coast. Extensive sea defence works were carried out in this area in the early 1990s but a short length that was not subject to any improvements requires reconstruction. This area could potentially allow floodwater to escape into the town unless it is defended.
As part of the improvements it is proposed that 3No. timber groynes are reconstructed to reduce the amount of erosion currently taking place at the western end of the area. There are already existing groynes in this location (buried). They were reduced in height due to their dilapidated state (and associated safety risk) with the last one being reduced below beach level approximately 5 years ago. No finances were available at the time to reconstruct these groynes. This project would involve reconstructing existing defences that were effective at combating erosion up until recently.
Regular beach maintenance in this area restores the eroded beach back to its design level i.e. the level with the proposed new groynes. This has had no affect on the neighbouring coastline. The material erodes in the east and accretes in the west where it becomes trapped. This is then recycled back to the eroded area on an annual basis. This procedure has been carried out successfully for the last 20+ years. Therefore we are not altering the coastline just stabilising what is already there. The proposed groynes are designed to arrest this movement and provide substantially better protection to the existing seawall.
The area is primarily used for recreational purposes and is an independent unit i.e. coastal processes either side of the area are unaffected by any works. This is due to this length of coastline being protected by the rock armour breakwater to the east and north and the exisiting pier and rock groyne to the west.
The recommended policy in the SMP in this area is to ‘hold the line’. The proposed new groynes will continue to maintain this policy.
Programme of Works (stages and timings) It is anticipated that groyne construction will commence in April 2013 and be complete by June 2013. Each groyne will be approximately 40m long at 20m spacing.
- Stage 1 (April 2013) - Install all hardwood timber piles for the groynes
- Stage 2 (May/June 2013) - plank up timber groynes
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