Previous Proposals in 2021
As our climate is changing, sea levels are rising and more storms are hitting Torbay, we have been taking a look at our sea defences, particularly those in Paignton and Preston.
Along with the Environment Agency we commissioned an assessment of our current coastal defences. This has shown that the sea defences we currently have on both seafronts at Paignton and Preston will only provide protection from flooding from storms for up to another 10 years.
It has been predicted that due to the climate change we will see the sea level rise in Torbay by over one metre. In the next 100 years the frequency and impact of water coming over the top of the sea walls will increase, resulting in more infrastructure and properties being affected by flooding. On top of that, more intense rainfall will increase the risk of localised flooding and erosion.
At the moment, whenever we experience storms like Storm Emma in 2018, up to 90 residential properties and just over 120 commercial properties are at risk of flooding. The Torbay Coastal Defences report estimates that, with another 50 years of climate change, the total number of properties at risk of flooding would be 352.
By acting now we can rapidly reduce this risk to properties.
The maps below show:
- Map 1 – Flooding – Present day without the proposed wall
- Map 2 – Flooding – After 50 years of climate change without a wall
- Map 3 – 50 years climate change after the proposed wall is built
In this video you can see the impact that flooding could have over the next 50 years in Paignton and Preston if we did not build a new sea defence.
Here’s a reminder of the flooding we experienced following Storm Emma in 2018.
Working together with the Environment Agency, who have recognised the urgency of this, our residents and local businesses around Paignton and Preston Seafront, we want to develop a scheme which protects and enhances the area. A scheme that improves the seafront area and enhances the experience for residents and visitors who visit the beaches, Paignton and Preston greens and the surrounding areas.
We are proposing that a sea wall that ranges from 1.1 to 1.5 metres is built along the two seafronts.
On Paignton Seafront it will run from Paignton Club all the way along the seafront to the Redcliffe Hotel. The proposal is for the wall to be positioned away from the current sea wall and will be built in the areas where the pavement meets the Green. The positioning of the wall is currently being determined and our current proposals are to run the wall behind the recently refurbished shelters ensuring that three sides have the same sea views that they currently have. This would mean though that the green-facing side would be close to the wall.
A wall of a similar size will also be built from The Boathouse at Preston, running between the Beach Huts that face the sea and those that face the Green, all the way up to the Marine Parade. This means there will be no change to the views from, or of, the huts.
Contains OS Data © Crown copyright and database rights 2021
As you can see on these proposals, along both walls there are a number of breaks suggested for access. The idea is for a gate or other type of barricade to be used to close these access gaps off when there is a risk of flooding. For example, at the Redcliffe Hotel end of the Paignton wall an innovative gate solution will be required.
We are proposing that the height of the wall will be at:
- Paignton Green, South of the Pier – 1 metre
- Paignton Green, North of the Pier – 1.1 metres
- Preston Green – 1.5 metres
Next Steps
To build this wall it will cost £3,142,000. The majority of the funding (95%) has been secured from the Environment Agency. We will be contributing £105,000 by using funds raised through Section 106 agreements and a commitment from the 2021/22 Budget .
Our first initial consultation on this scheme is now closed, thank you to those who took part. All of the feedback has been passed to our Engineers who will be taking it into consideration as we move through the engagement process.
A second consultation also ran from the end of March through to early April where we asked for your thoughts on the designs and patterns to go on the wall. The idea is for these designs to reflect the local area, similar to the images of what Morecambe have put on their wall which you can see below. Thank you all those who took the time to complete this, it was viewed 1,114 times and 187 comments were left. We will be taking the responses from this into consideration as we move forward with the ongoing engagement.
Construction was due to start later this year, after the summer 2021, but as we will be carrying out more extensive engagement on this scheme, construction will not be taking place this year. As soon as we know more we will update these pages.
Consultation on our proposals – now closed
During February 2021 we asked for feedback on the questions below. All of the responses received have been passed on to be taken into consideration and to help shape the planning application.
- Do you think it is important to protect homes and businesses from flooding and to safeguard our critical infrastructure?
- Do you think it is important for Torbay to accept the offer of government funding to help protect our communities from flooding and to future proof Paignton as a place to live and visit?
- Do you agree with the location of the proposed breaks in the wall? See images above for these
- Where do you feel the best locations are for the accessible up and over crossing points?
- As you will see from the images above, the proposal is for the wall to go around the Victorian Shelters on the Green side, do you agree with this or would you prefer to have them on the seaward side?
Below are the Architectural drawings of the proposed wall and, in more detail, where the current proposed breaks in the wall are
53613,53614,53615,53617,53616,53618,53619