Multi-million pound schemes to protect Blackpool’s beaches from climate change
Preparations are underway for two multi-million pound schemes to protect Blackpool’s famous seafront from the threat of climate change. The town was awarded £57m by the Environment Agency in July last year for the Blackpool Central Area Beach Nourishment Scheme, and £61m for the Little Bispham to Bispham Coast Protection Scheme, and the Gynn Square to Cocker Square Coast Protection Scheme.
Now the council has appointed contractors to carry out design work for both projects which are seen as vital to protecting the resort’s beaches and Promenade. Balfour Beatty, which has worked with the council for more than 20 years on sea defence schemes, has been appointed for pre-construction work including design for the Bispham Coast Protection scheme.
A council report says the company has “a proven track record of the delivery of coast protection schemes” although repairs were needed to the Anchorsholme sea wall which Balfour Beatty completed in 2015. The next stage of coastal protection will see £61m invested between Little Bispham and Bispham and GynnSquare to Cocker Square.
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Meanwhile global engineering experts Jacobs has been appointed for the beach management scheme.
A council report says: “As a result of the continuous monitoring of the coast protection assets it was identified that some of the actions in the strategy needed to be accelerated due to the beach lowering resulting from climate change.” It adds: “Blackpool Council has been allocated funding of £57m for the works to prevent coastal erosion to the Blackpool Central section of seawall.
“The works require a competent designer with vast experience of coast protection design. Jacobs have been working with Blackpool Council for over 30 years and are an extremely experienced consultant with experience in coast protection designs for coastal erosion and are the most suitable consultant for this scheme.”
A beach nourishment programme is proposed which would see sand replaced which has been washed away from the base of the stepped sea defences, leaving the foundations exposed to erosion.
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