It has cost £40million and taken four years, but the flood defence work at Jury's Gap and Lydd Ranges have finally been completed. An official opening ceremony was held at Lydd Community Hall last month.
The work, which has seen the installation of new groynes next to the firing range at Lydd and thousands of tonnes of shingle relocated to the beach east of Jury's Gap, is part the Environment Agency's plan to manage flood defences. It was approved in 2010 as part of the Folkestone to Cliff End strategy, which also includes the current work on the tidal walls on the outskirts of Rye.
A spokesperson for Environment Agency said; "With much of Romney Marsh below high tide level, 14,500 homes, 700 businesses as well as nationally important, critical infrastructure are at risk of flooding. Lydd’s sea frontage is vulnerable to erosion and has suffered from the effects of recent storms Dennis and Ciara, particularly at Jury’s Gap."
Work on the defences has been based at Jury's Gap with over 390,000 tonnes of shingle moved to the beach, and thirty-three new groynes installed. The 1km sea wall has been boosted with hundreds of boulders brought in by sea.
