What are we updating you about?
East Suffolk Council’s Coastal Management service have appointed Balfour Beatty to complete repair works at Southwold.
Where is this work happening?
A map of where the work is taking place is on page 2 of this factsheet. The work will take place along a section of the seawall north of Southwold Pier. There will be a temporary site compound in the Southwold Pier car park from Tuesday 22nd April 2025 so there will be a reduced number of spaces for the duration of the work. Both Southwold Pier and Southwold Beach car parks will remain open. There will be no access to the promenade or beach where the works are taking place.
When are we doing the work?
Repair work will take place from Monday 28th April 2025 and is intended to be completed before the start of the school summer holidays, allowing our contractor to maximise work around daily tides. All work is subject to safe working conditions i.e. tide and weather condition dependant.
What will we be doing?
Our contractor will be installing new sheet piles in front of the existing piles to help prevent them being eroded by the sea when beach levels are low. Silent piling will be used to minimise noise disturbance from the works. This work follows on from similar works completed to the north end of the seawall in 2023.
We will work hard to keep any inconvenience to a minimum and ask the public to please take note of the contractor’s signage when work is happening. We will share regular updates as the work progresses.
Why are we doing this work?
This work will provide important maintenance to the seawall north of Southwold Pier and is an important part of ESC’s commitment to ensure that the coastal assets in Southwold are working effectively and are safe for the public.
Undertaking regular targeted maintenance means that we can maximise the lifespan of coastal protection assets, ensuring that we make the most of every pound spent and achieve a better return on public investment.
The area of the seawall was identified for essential maintenance by ESC’s Coastal Management service. Relevant permissions and funding have been allocated allowing this work to take place.
Contact Us
Coastal Management service, Riverside, 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0EQ
If you would like this factsheet in another format, please let us know by emailing: coastalmanagement@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
