Lydd Ranges Sea Defences Scheme - Upcoming works

Overview

November 2022 update

We have made good progress this year by removing the topsoil and existing vegetation along the earth embankment to enable the start of the installation of terramesh (a modular system that forms rock faced reinforced soil walls). We have also completed the groyne work at Jury’s Gap and the small beach nourishment campaign is complete. We expect to finish the scheme in 2023. Works to be undertaken in 2023 include: the main beach nourishment campaign and finishing works to the green wall and Denge Marsh outfall. For more information on progress made and the works remaining, please see below.

During the construction work, the section of the beach where we are working will be closed. For your own safety please follow the erected signage and do not enter the working areas.

Progress update on the scheme tasks

South Brooks (green wall)

Earth embankment raising and strengthening. Material will be delivered by lorry directly into the range accessing via gate 6 and used to repair and raise low spots within the existing flood defence embankment.  

Progress in 2022: Existing vegetation and topsoil has been stripped and installation of the terramesh earth reinforcement. 

Works remaining for 2023: 300m of the terramesh earth reinforcement to complete.

Installing new timber groynes

Construction of new 1.7 km timber groyne field, involving piling to install the groyne supports followed by horizontal planking to complete the structures.  

Progress in 2022: The groyne works are almost complete.

Works remaining for 2023: Final planks to be installed prior to main beach nourishment campaign.

Beach nourishment in the newly constructed groyne field between Jury’s Gap and Wicks

Importing additional shingle onto the beach to provide better protection against flooding from the sea.

Progress in 2022: A smaller beach nourishment campaign was completed in September 2022.

Works remaining for 2023: The main beach nourishment campaign is scheduled for summer 2023. Shingle will be taken from the designated area using a large dredger, which will then take the material to the coast at Lydd and pump the shingle ashore using a pipeline. When the material reaches the beach, bulldozers and wheel loaders will distribute and profile the material. These will be operational on the beach 24 hours a day 7 days per week, working a tidal shift pattern.

Rock revetment

Work to extend the rock revetment.  Rock was delivered in 2020 as part of the emergency works in response to storm damage. Much of this rock was placed into a rock revetment to protect the most vulnerable section of the embankment flood defence at Jurys Gap, with the remaining rock placed in a stockpile that you can see from the Jury’s Gap lookout.

Progress in 2022: no progress.

Works remaining for 2023: Moving rock from the stockpile and placing the rock to extend the rock revetment eastwards to reinforce the green wall at Jury’s Gap. Rock will be moved using mechanised equipment on the beach.

Jury’s Gap to Wick’s access track

Works to refurbish the access track between Jury’s Gap and Wicks. At its peak this work will require 10 loads of concrete per day, which will be delivered by lorry. 

Progress in 2022: 1,000 m of access track refurbished.

Works remaining for 2023: 1,000 m left to refurbish.

Denge Marsh outfall

Works to relocate the existing Denge Marsh outfall control structures.

Progress in 2022: We have installed a cofferdam (a temporary dam) to keep the area dry while we are working; we have excavated a space for the valve chamber (this prevents seawater flowing into the outfall) and constructed the valve chamber out of concrete.

Works remaining for 2023: Install the valves and demolish the existing control chamber and associated infrastructure.  

 

August 2022 update

We have made good progress so far this year; however, due to nesting avocets, the main beach nourishment campaign has been delayed until next year (2023). To top up the beach before this coming winter, a smaller beach nourishment campaign will take place over 4 weeks from mid-August 2022, similar to that carried out last year.  

The table below provides an update for the various work elements of the scheme that we have carried out between April and October 2022.

During the construction work, the section of the beach where we are working will be closed. For your own safety please follow the erected signage and do not enter the working areas.

 

May 2022 update

We have now resumed work on the Lydd Ranges Sea Defence Scheme.

The table below provides a progress update for the various work elements of the scheme and sets out the works we propose to carry out between now and October 2022 (inclusive). The vast majority of the timber to complete the construction of the timber groynes has been prepared over the winter. Any remaining timber preparation works at the Jurys Gap site compound will be for no more than 4 hours during the day at high-tide with noise barriers in place.

During the construction work, the section of the beach where we are working will be closed. For your own safety please follow the erected signage and do not enter the working areas.

March 2022 update

Works on the scheme will resume in April 2022. From March, we will be getting ready to continue the work and you will see increased activity.

This year, 2022, we propose to carry out the following works between April and October (inclusive):

The vast majority of the timber has been prepared over the winter. Any remaining timber works will be for no more than 4 hours during the day at high-tide with noise barriers in place.

During this work, the section of the beach where we are working will be closed. For your own safety please follow the erected signage and do not enter the working areas.

November 2021 to March 2022 Update

We have created a video which summarises the work at Lydd Ranges this year, click here to view.

Construction will take place over 3 years, with construction works being undertaken during the spring, summer and autumn months each year. The on-site works commenced in July this year and works undertaken to date include:

• Preparation of the site compound area.
• Installation of timber groynes on the beach: by end of November, 22 groynes will have been completed and a few are in progress (to be completed next year).
• Preparations for the works to improve the access road along the Green Wall embankment have commenced. This work is coming to an end for 2021 and work will resume next year.
• An interim beach nourishment operation involving the importation and placement of nearly 50,000m3 of shingle to the 600m of beach to the east of the MOD lookout was completed in September.
• Partial-demolition of the outfall at Denge Marsh – these essential works were brought forward due to the condition of the outfall.

This update provides details of the works proposed for December 2021 to March 2022:

Between December 2021 and February 2022 we are restricted with the construction activities that can be undertaken due to overwintering birds. As a result, a reduced workforce will be on-site during this period to undertake the following activities:

• Accepting timber deliveries.
• Preparing timber for next year. Preparing timber over winter (where we can), will reduce disruption during the busier summer period.
• Monitoring the beach condition and if necessary, carry out emergency works.
• There will be no working during the Christmas period: Wednesday 22 December until 03 January (inclusive) (unless emergency works are required).

September and October 2021 Update

Construction of the scheme will take place over 3 years, with works being undertaken during the spring, summer and autumn months each year. The on-site works commenced in July and works undertaken to date include:

• Preparation of the site compound area.
• Commencement of the installation of timber groynes on the beach: the first stage of groyne construction involves driving “piles” (vertical posts that provide support for the timber planks) into the beach, using a “movax” vibration piling machine. An impact hammer (a large hammer that creates a different, ‘banging’ sound) is only required to drive the pile to the final depth as the soil becomes more resistant during the pile driving operation. The impact hammer sound is intermittent and not continuous. This equipment was used during the emergency works at Lydd (50m east of the MOD lookout) in 2020. Piles for 7 of the 34 groynes have now been installed.
• Preparations for the works to improve the access road along the Green Wall embankment have commenced, which to date have involved temporarily removing some of the rock to provide access to the seaward edge of the road.
• Commencement of the interim beach nourishment operation in mid-August: this interim beach nourishment operation involves the importation and placement of approximately 46,000m³ of shingle to the 600m of beach to the east of the MOD lookout. A dredger collects the material from a licenced borrow area located 30 nautical miles off the coast of Eastbourne. The material is then loaded onto flattop barges, which bring it to the beach at high tide. Once delivered to the beach, bulldozers and wheel loaders distribute and profile the material. This operation on the beach takes place 24 hours a day 7 days per week, so you may have noticed some recent coming and going at the site compound area at all hours. The plant is fitted with modified reverse alarms to reduce noise.

Groynes being constructed at nearby Hythe Ranges

Works proposed for September and October 2021 include:

• Timber groyne construction throughout September and October:
  • Timber for the groynes will continue to be delivered to the site compound at Jury’s Gap.
  • Timber preparation: Where possible, the timber will be prepared off-site to minimise the noise and disruption to those local to the Jury’s Gap compound. Where timber preparation is required at the Jury’s Gap compound, this will be during one high tide 6-hour shift each weekday (during the day, not at night). The work involving chainsaws will not be continuous during the hours of high-tide as there will also be other works occurring. Acoustic fencing will be installed to reduce the noise and we will also have use of another site within the MOD ranges to try and minimise the impact.
• Groyne construction: works continuing to take place on the beach, mostly during low-tide, each weekday during daylight hours. In September and October we are working at groynes further down the beach away from properties (approx. 500 m east of the MOD lookout) and machinery and equipment for the groyne construction will be stored local to the working area on the beach, where possible. Deliveries of plant and equipment to the compound at Jury’s Gap and South Brooks (within the MOD ranges) will continue to use the sea wall to access the ranges to the east of the cottages. On average, less than one delivery per day is expected during September and October.
• Preparing for the construction of the access road from Jury’s Gap lookout to Wicks will commence in September. To do this we will need to break out the existing road, starting mid-September and this is expected to take about 4 weeks, but these works are at least 250m from properties.
• Beach recharge works are expected to be completed mid-September. The beach recharge works will be working over a 600m stretch of beach roughly from the MOD lookout working east – so working away from properties.

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