Swanage’s temporary flood prevention barriers have been reconfigured for winter 2024 in an attempt to stop the sea tossing aside the concrete blocks as it did in 2023.
The Environment Agency had to review its installation of 120 concrete blocks after the force of the waves dangerously moved some of them across the lower High Street during Storm Ciarán in November 2023.
A double row of blocks have been positioned by Gee Whites in the hope of getting the better of the weather this year
Chunky barrier
Now it’s come up with a redesign that doubles up the concrete blocks near Gee Whites along the lower High Street but the chunky barrier is too big to be continued along the whole stretch of the road.
However the Environment Agency is confident that the new defence will be sufficient to stop the town’s businesses from flooding and resilient enough not to be moved by the power of the waves.
The one business that won’t be protected is the newly constructed Pier Head restaurant along the lower High Street, which was granted planning permission on the condition that it took its own extra precautions against the high risk of flooding and flying debris due to its seafront location.
The pavement along the seafront outside the Pier Head restaurant is too narrow to accommodate the double block configuration and the Environment Agency says that on safety grounds it won’t install a single row of blocks again along the lower High Street.
Further along Swanage’s seafront, temporary barriers have been installed at The Square and by The Mowlem slipway and as they worked well in 2023, they have remained the same as last year.
The scene of destruction along the lower High Street in November 2023 when Storm Ciarán pushed the single row of blocks across the road and debris was strewn everywhere
To avoid any safety issues in 2024, no blocks will be deployed in front of the Pier Head restaurant which the Environment Agency say won’t cause a town centre flooding risk
The absence of a flood barrier will mean that vehicles will have to be more cautious of parking along the lower High Street when storms are forecast as debris is still likely to fly across the road
All year round access for rowers
The new scheme does mean that rowers are able to launch their boats from Monkey Beach without any obstruction throughout the year.
The other advantage is that the blocks were able to be put in place earlier in the autumn with no need to wait until the end of the main rowing season.
In October 2023, the blocks were craned into position as Storm Babet battered the coastline but this year, in complete contrast, the installation was completed on Wednesday 18th September 2024 in glorious sunshine.
By The Mowlem, blocks have been installed across the slipway
The blocks will soon be livened up by the reinstallation of the Flooding Swanage with Art panels as pictured here in 2023
The artwork proved a hit in 2023
Blocks too grey for the visually impaired
A disability report commissioned by Swanage Town Council in November 2022 highlighted that the barriers were too grey for the visually impaired to safely see the contrast between the blocks and the pavement.
In response, Dorset Coast Forum project officer, Sara Parker put forward a proposal to adequately highlight the blocks and provide the community of Swanage with an art trail project on a large scale.
The Flooding Swanage with Art panels will be reinstalled to reduce the greyness of the blocks while also brightening up the seafront for the winter. Sara Parker said:
“We’re asking people to be aware that the grey concrete blocks are now in position on the pavements and to take care.
“The art is going back in place as soon as we can get it organised. I’m sure it will be an interesting talking point again – we’ll have to juggle how we reinstall it as the blocks are configured differently but I’m sure along with the local artists including Andy Knill, we will work it out!
“It should all start to look lovely over the next few weeks!”
The blocks around The Square are now in place or should that be ‘in plaice’?!
The team from the Environment Agency are hoping that a permanent solution will be installed for next year
Permanent flood defences in the pipeline
The Swanage flood defences are only temporary and were conceived in response to the increased town centre flooding during winter storms. But, the long term plan is to install permanent flood protection.
Currently the aim is to start the construction of permanent structures in September 2025 and that work is expected to take until March 2026 to complete. However the scheme is still subject to funding approval and planning permission.
A public consultation is planned for autumn 2024 on what the scheme will look like, although the Environment Agency will no doubt be taking into account how well the new configuration of blocks copes with this winter’s storms.
It remains to be seen whether what works well on paper, actually works well in practice for 2024/25.
