Further investigation for parts of Torcross seawall
Devastating storm conditions have wreaked havoc on the picturesque properties along the seafront
Further inspections of parts of the seawall at Torcross will be required, but experts believe there is no need for concern about its overall stability.
Devastating storm conditions have wreaked havoc on the picturesque properties along the seafront in Torcross as part of wider damage in the area that has seen huge chunks of the A379 Slapton Line washed away.
The properties sit behind an existing seawall and further defences below it, aimed at sheltering the community from the ravages of the sea.
But a combination of high tides, large swells and low pressure mixed with storms Ingrid and then Chandra has led to significant damage in the community.
Some residents have raised concerns about the efficacy of the existing storm defences, suggesting they can hear sounds that are unfamiliar, even during storms.
However, experts from the Environment Agency have said while some areas might need another look after its initial inspection, it is not overly worried.
“Our officers and engineering specialists have inspected the seawall in front of residential properties in Torcross,” a spokesperson for the Environment Agency told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“We have identified areas that require further investigation, but we are not concerned about the current stability of the flood defence.
“We are commissioning a detailed survey as a priority and will be monitoring the defences long term.
“We are working closely with local authorities to manage the sea defences at Torcross and support recovery of the community.”
The complexity and bureaucracy surrounding flood and sea defences, though, means that the Environment Agency has only inspected the seawall in front of the properties in Torcross.
Any prospective repairs to defences in front of the so-called Tank car park at Torcross and along the road fall to Devon County Council because of its responsibility for the county’s highways.
The Environment Agency said its contractor Kier would be conducting work in Torcross to carry out investigations, with a detailed survey being commissioned as a priority alongside longer-term monitoring.
The agency added that it would be working with all authorities and organisations to help the community of Torcross recover from the storms.
That collaborative effort is likely to stretch all the way to Westminster, given Devon County Council’s leader, Councillor Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrat, Kingsbridge), has stated that his council would not have the money to fund such major repairs.
The council has found some extra money to go towards improving the small rural roads that will act as alternate routes while the Line is out of action, but it can’t stump on millions of pounds to repair the A379.
The area’s MP, Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat, South Devon), has a crunch meeting with roads minister Keir Mather this week. While an immediate outcome is unlikely, Ms Voaden may be able to detect the government’s willingness to support the area with emergency funding.
There is precedent for the government stepping in after Storm Emma in 2018, which also led to a section of the road being severely damaged. Around £2.5 million was secured back then by then-MP Sarah Woollaston and Devon County Council.