Canvey Island southern shoreline revetment project - information page

Overview

This project will maintain the existing high level of tidal flood risk protection to thousands of homes, businesses and infrastructure on Canvey Island into the future.  

We will be renewing and improving the erosion protection on the seaward face of the tidal defences, known as revetment. This will take place along a 3km stretch between Thorney Bay and the Island Yacht Club as shown on the map below.

Map: Canvey Island southern shoreline. Red line indicates the area of revetment that we will be working on

This project will better protect the tidal defences against erosion and extend their useful life to 2070 in light of increasing sea levels due to climate change. These works extend the high standard of tidal flood risk protection provided by the Canvey Island tidal defences into the future, a key aspiration of the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan.

The video below provides a computer simulated representation of the details and key aspects of the project, comparing with the existing site at certain locations along the frontage. (click on the photo to watch the video)

The works are planned to be delivered as part of the Thames Estuary Asset Management (TEAM) 2100 Programme. This is the single largest investment in Canvey Island's tidal defences since they were raised in the early 1980s

Background

Canvey Island is very low lying with ground levels nearly two metres below the daily high tide level in the Thames estuary. This means that the entire island is at risk of tidal flooding which could impact more than 15,000 residential properties and this scheme will directly benefit over 6,000 of those residential properties. This risk is managed by 14 miles (23km) of tidal defences which provide a very high standard of protection and were built in response to the last tidal flood event to impact the island in 1953.

Find out more about flood risk on Canvey Island and who is responsible for managing flood risk. Also scroll below for more information on how tidal defences were built and about tidal surges. 

Programme of works and construction

Details of the construction are explained in more depth within the PDF documents at the bottom of this page, but the key aspects are summarised below:

• The construction will take an anticipated two and half years in duration.
• Revetment works are fitted into the low-tide window, meaning works will take place over an approximate 5-hour period, anywhere between 6am-10pm.
• Construction works on the landward side of the sea wall to take place in regular working hours (8am-6pm Monday to Friday).
• A phased delivery using two construction teams working at locations and times of the year influenced by:
   
  • Benfleet and Southend Marshes at the eastern end of the project’s extent, which is an internationally important site for habitat and wildlife and is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and Ramsar (a Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention)
  • The western end of the project area contains a very well used public amenity front with beach areas, tidal pools and a host of amenity features and services.
  • Archaeological fieldwork may also be required to mitigate impacts on any buried archaeological remains within the foreshore
• A main compound, required for duration of the works, to be located at the end of Eastern Esplanade.
• Satellite compounds will be required for much shorter durations. Three of these sites will be away from the main compound, at Western Esplanade, Eastern Esplanade car park and Beveland Road respectively

Map: Red circles show the main and satellite compound locations of varying durations

January 2023

Contractors working on behalf of the Environment Agency begun establishing the main compound, material storage compound and satellite compound 1 from 3 January onwards.

February 2023

This month we had to close Fisherman's Corner footpath to use manchinery to install:

• a single concrete test pile  
• the temporary haul road and
• ramps to allow us to construct the replacement revetment

March 2023

• Preparations for satellite compound 4 
• Cabins will be installed at the main compound
• Work will begin on Lower Haul Road
• Test pile works commencing on Fisherman’s Corner

Map and timeline for the works (also available from the list of PDF documents below)

Current and future consent applications
We have developed and submitted applications for various permissions, licences and consents, some of which are detailed on this link