Seawall plans 'dead in the water'

Southend Council’s joint Labour, Lib Dem, and Independent administration has finally admitted the controversial plan, approved under the previous Tory administration, will be ripped up.

Campaigners are delighted by the news, which comes after the Government reaffirmed £3.2million funding for the seawall, but the Conservatives have warned the delay could cost lives.

Independent Martin Terry, Southend councillor responsible for public protection, revealed engineers said the old scheme was both unacceptable and non-deliverable.

He said: “The scheme is now dead in the water.

“The main issue is the huge mud bank across Shoebury Common and the need to deliver a scheme that does not destroy the common.

“They said it was unacceptable, undeliverable and inconsiderate of sea views and the beach hut owners, but I’m confident we can produce a scheme the vast majority will accept.”

When the new administration took power it immediately put the plans on ice and spent £16,500 on engineers to review the buffer.

The Government has made cash available if the new administration can come up with a scheme the Environment Agency accepts.

According to Government figures, a Shoebury seawall will cost £7.2million to erect.

The 1,000-yard seawall, between Ness Road and Thorpe Bay Gardens, was supposed to protect 237 homes and 58 businesses in Shoebury.

The previous Tory administration pushed through the proposals in the face of a huge public backlash, with only four people backing their preferred option.

James Duddridge, Tory MP for Rochford and Southend East, came out against the plans in the wake of May’s elections, when the Tories failed to win a single seat in the east part of the borough, many believe because of the unpopular scheme.

But Conservative leader John Lamb said: “We aren’t engineers so we got the professional help of engineers.

“By rubbishing those plans, they are rubbishing the Environment Agency, which accepted the proposal, our officers, and flooding consultants.

“We would have landscaped it so we wouldn’t have lost Shoebury Common, but putting this on hold is putting homes at risk.”

Peter Grubb, who runs Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in Shoebury Common, fought the original plan with campaign group the Friends of Shoebury Common. He said: “I am elated and relieved. It is common sense.”

THE seawall review could delay a major estate being built in Shoebury.

Garrison Developments’ proposals for 172 homes and businesses on old Gunner’s Park – a flood plain – have been deferred for Southend Council officers to negotiate a reduction in homes.

However, the Environment Agency has said it will only let the scheme go ahead once building work on a new seawall is completed.

With the scheme under review and no funding guarantee from the Environment Agency until the new administration submit a new proposal, there is no time limit on when any new seawall could be built.

Garrison Developments’ plan went to Southend Council’s development control committee last month, but was deferred for officers to work with the company to reduce the number of homes proposed. The developer has proposed to fund just under £1million for the seawall.

Peter Grubb, from the Friends of Shoebury Common group, said: “Who in their right mind would give planning permission for a development on an area that regularly floods?”

Big cost for failed project

ALMOST £150,000 has been spent on the failed Shoebury seawall scheme.

The previous Tory administration enlisted the help of engineers Black and Veatch to draw up plans, which were comprehensively denounced by the majority of people in Shoebury.

In total, the consultants cost £131,000 but now the new administration in charge at Southend Council is ripping up those plans... and employing more consultants to come up with a new scheme.

In addition to this, the authority paid £16,500 to an engineering firm to review the old proposals.