I READ with interest councillor Neil Stock’s tried and tested oil rigs idea for sea defences in Holland-on-Sea.
Our main concern is the further delay to works while research is conducted, which could be another ten years.
Again, it seems Holland gets the short straw. What Cllr Stock is suggesting is experimental for a recreational beach situation, where decommissioned oil rigs, sunken barges and boats could be used instead of rocks.
However, this could take a very long time to test in these waters - time we do not have. The Environment Agency (EA) and Defra would also have to agree that this would suit our particular coastline.
The rigs to reefs idea is, as the article says, well established in America, but there’s no evidence to show it’s been used in British waters to create a sandy recreational beach.
We need a guaranteed, already EA and Defra-approved system, which, as we know, works a treat in Jaywick and Felixstowe, and we need it to be built not six miles off shore, but with rock groynes from the sea wall extending 80 metres into the sea and/or breakwaters parallel to the beach. There is no evidence to suggest that this will cost £60million.
The work could take eight years to complete, so we have to start phase one now.
I understand a local councillor in Felixstowe has just secured another £8million for more work there. If he can do it, why can’t we?
Cllr Mary Bragg
Cllr Joy Broderick
Cllr KT King
Holland Residents Association
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