Beach Management Plan. Revetment, part 1

There have been many meetings of the BMP Steering Group since it was set up five years ago, but things seem to be very much going nowhere – although now that there is a new chair, there should be a new impetus and a new approach:

Sidmouth Beach Management Plan meetings

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Up to now, the ‘official’ line on what should be done to stop further cliff erosion is the ‘preferred’ Option 4 – aka a super groyne:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: Local stakeholders welcome project consultant’s report >>> Options S4 and S4b “technically preferred”

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The local representatives on the Steering Group have supported the ‘technically preferred’ Option 4b – aka another rock island:
Beach Management Plan: looking for funding for the ‘technically preferred’ option 4b
Beach Management Plan: Option 4b or not 4b > or: how to ignore everyone else’s opinion

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But the preference which goes back some time and which is now emerging is that of revetment – aka rock armouring…

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This Devon County Council document is from 2003, when rock revetment was first considered:

Report of Committee Site Visit
Planning/Highway Consultation
East Devon District: Proposed Rock Revetment Designed to Reduce Erosion of the Cliff Face at Pennington Point, Sidmouth 
Date Consultation Received by the County Council: 28 January 2003
Report of the County Environment Director

Futures Forum: 28th January 2003: “EDDC is proposing a coast protection scheme aimed at reducing the rate of cliff erosion at Pennington Point. The scheme would protect the properties located at the top of Salcombe Hill and the Alma Bridge.”

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In 2011, residents of the properties above Pennington Point suggested such a scheme:

Residents devise £900k bid to halt Sidmouth cliff erosion
CLIFF-top residents have devised a £900,000 scheme they hope will stop Sidmouth’s crumbling coastline from claiming their homes