Looking for further information about the proposed Sidmouth Beach Management Scheme these pages were found on 9th June 2025
From New Civil Engineer
East Devon readies procurement for £21M Sidmouth coastal defence scheme
22 May, 2025 By Rob Hakimian
East Devon District Council (EDDC) is planning to commence open procurement to secure a lead designer and delivery supplier for its Sidmouth and East Beach Coastal Defence Scheme.
This large-scale project, valued at over £21M, seeks to protect the coastal town of Sidmouth and its East Beach from the escalating threats of erosion and flooding through sustainable and sensitive interventions.
Approved in full by the Environment Agency in December 2023, the scheme benefits from substantial financial backing, including £16M from the government and £2.25M of already approved funding from EDDC. Further contributions are expected from Devon County Council and other local entities, underscoring the importance of this coastal defence initiative for the region’s environmental resilience.
The proposed works are significant in both scope and complexity. They include the installation of one or more new offshore breakwaters designed to reduce wave energy, the construction of a new rock groyne at East Beach to manage littoral drift, and the raising of the splash wall at the eastern end of the Esplanade for enhanced flood protection. Additional improvements will deliver a new slipway to facilitate improved maintenance and easier lifeboat and small craft launching operations. Furthermore, the scheme includes “beach recharge” operations whereby beach levels will be restored by replenishing sand and shingle dredged sustainably from offshore sources.
Importantly, all interventions will be executed with a strong commitment to preserving Sidmouth’s historic charm and natural beauty, ensuring the coastal defence measures harmonise with the town’s existing architectural and environmental heritage.
As the project now moves towards the tender phase, EDDC is actively engaging with the market to gauge supplier interest and expertise in marine environments and heritage structure management. Potential contractors must demonstrate comprehensive experience in delivering complex marine infrastructure projects, including offshore rock formations, sea walls, and groynes.
The successful supplier will extend the already approved outline design by undertaking detailed technical numerical modelling, refining design details, managing statutory consultations and overseeing planning and construction activities. The scope also includes enhancements to River Sid flood defences to ensure integration with the coastal works and to bolster overall flood resilience.
From the Find Tender Service on the Government website
Engineering Services requiring Design and Construction Services for Sidmouth and East Beach Coastal Defence Scheme
- East Devon District Council
UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice – Procurement Act 2023 – view information about notice types
Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-023325
Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-051904
Published 20 May 2025, 2:43pm
Download
Scope
Reference ED0373-25
Description
EDDC is currently preparing to initiate an open tender procurement exercise using the New Engineering Contract NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Option C, combined with Option X22 Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) to establish contract with suitable suppliers for seeking professional services to act as the lead Designer and Delivery Supplier for Sidmouth and East Beach Coastal Defence Scheme.
Prior to initiating the Open tender procurement route EDDC wishes to establish the level of market interest in participating in the procurement process.
This is specialist work in a complex marine environment so the prospective contractors will be required to have extensive experience and expertise working in the marine environment and of heritage structures.
The supplier will be required to build upon the already appraised and approved outline option, known as option 6 by;
– Undertaking the technical numerical modelling,
– Developing the detailed designs,
– Liaising with statutory consultees,
– Managing the planning and construction of coastal defence structures, including offshore rock marine structures, sea walls, coastal groynes, and other necessary infrastructure as detailed within the outline option,
– Providing additional professional services to support the delivery of the scheme.
The work in scope for this tender is summarised as follows:
Option 6 – Indicative Scope of Works
Building upon the outline design, will incorporate a combination of the following interventions. The final configuration will be subject to detailed design, environmental considerations, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory approvals:
Beach Renurshment Tasks: provisions for beach renourishment techniques to support coastal defence objectives and maintain beach levels as detailed within the outline design.
Rock Structures: The proposed works may include the installation of a terminal rock groyne or at one or more offshore rock breakwaters or alternative submerged features designed to dissipate wave energy and enhance overall beach stability at the eastern extent of the frontage to manage littoral drift and mitigate ongoing erosion.
Shoreline Defence Enhancements: works may include raising, replacing, or future-proofing the existing splash wall; upgrading flood gates; improving access infrastructure; and modifying the existing river training wall elements.
River Sid Interface Improvements: localised enhancements to the River Sid flood wall and associated structures to ensure continuity with the coastal defence scheme and improve flood resilience.
Total value (estimated)
- £21,040,000 excluding VAT
- £25,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 27 November 2025 to 1 June 2030
- 4 years, 6 months, 5 days
Main procurement category
Works
CPV classifications
- 43000000 – Machinery for mining, quarrying, construction equipment
- 45000000 – Construction work
Contract locations
- UKK4 – Devon
Engagement
Engagement deadline
1 July 2025
Engagement process description
Prior to proceeding with the open tender procurement process, EDDC aims to assess the level of market interest and engage suppliers on key aspects of the project proposal.
This work involves specialised expertise in a complex marine environment; therefore, prospective contractors will be expected to demonstrate extensive experience and knowledge in marine settings and heritage structure management.
EDDC is seeking feedback on feasible proposals regarding the scheme’s timeline, budget, effort, and supply chain management – specifically, the impacts and affordability of the proposed rock structures as detailed in the outline design, including lead times for rock procurement and the necessary specialised marine equipment.
The objective of this project is to develop and implement coastal defence measures to safeguard Sidmouth and East Beach from erosion and flooding. The aims include assessing market capacity and capability, identifying innovative solutions and best practices, and ensuring alignment with industry standards and expectations.
As part of the preparation, EDDC will be conducting exercise inviting suitably qualified and experienced suppliers who may have an interest in this project to complete the attached questionnaire located within section 13 & 14 to assist EDDC gain a better understanding of the feasibility of their requirements, buildability approach, mitigation strategies and the capacity of the market to deliver the scheme.
In responding, you should understand that detailed and lengthy submissions are not necessary at this stage. Nonetheless, we welcome any pertinent information on your organisation’s capability and views on an approach to successfully undertake the commission. All information provided in this exercise will be treated in confidence in accordance with Data Protection Act 2018 and will NOT be considered in any future tender evaluation exercise.
Information gathered will be used in the development on feasible methods, costing and on the most suitable approach to meeting the operational, environmental and regulatory needs of the scheme.
Any information provided in response to this preliminary market engagement exercise marked as commercially sensitive will be treated as such. Participants are asked to identify any of the information supplied in the course of this exercise which should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity. In doing so participants must specify the reasons for its sensitivity and specify the period for which the information will remain sensitive.
The EDDC project team and/or Dorset County Council’s procurement team, will endeavour to consult with a concerned participant about sensitive information before making a decision on any Freedom of Information (FOI) requests received. The final decision on any FOI request rests with the relevant public body, subject to applicable law.
EDDC will take into account statements of confidentiality and commercial sensitivity that are provided by participants and will endeavour to consult with participants about sensitive information before making a decision on any FOI request received but the EDDC will make its own assessment and decision on these issues.
Publication of Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) notice
– EDDC issue Supplier Questionnaire and supporting information. 20 May 2025
Conduct Site visit attendance (AM) session.
Venue: Sidmouth Town Beach 16 Jun 2025
Conduct Collaborative Q&A (PM) session.
Venue: Kennaway House, Sidmouth EX10 8NG 16 Jun 2025
Deadline for Supplier PME Questionnaire return date. 30 Jun 2025
EDDC plan to conduct the following activities:
– Preliminary Market Engagement Notice: A notice will be published to invite interested parties to participate in the engagement process.
– Supplier day and site visit with questions and answers session: EDDC will be coordinating 1 Supplier Day site visit with Q&A session being held afterwards on the same day with parties to discuss project details and gather input.
Supplier day attendance:
– Suppliers are requested to notify EDDC’s Project Manager by no later than 17:00 on Friday, 6 June, if they intend to attend the Supplier Day session on June 20.
– The Project Manager can be reached at (use sidmoutheastbmp@eastdevon.gov.uk) to confirm attendance numbers and venue logistics.
– Questionnaires and Surveys: EDDC have provided a questionnaire to collect detailed feedback on specific aspects of the project which can be found within section 13 & 14 of this document – “suppliers response”.
In addition, depending on the volume of responses, the EDDC may wish to follow up the questionnaire with an additional Q&A workshop with interested Parties. The workshop will provide an opportunity for further mutual understanding of any potential risk, issues, assumptions and questions that may not have previously been considered.
EDDC request in advance of this of the supplier day if you could send us any questions that you would like to discuss at the Q&A event or any specific issues that you would like to raise and discuss. The supplier day will be strictly restricted to potential suppliers, key members of EDDC’s project team along with key members of the Clients Advisory and Stakeholder Group for representation where appropriate. In the event that the EDDC cannot accommodate the volume of individual meeting requests, EDDC will look to schedule additional supplier days to accommodate the suppliers, but this will be assessed and agreed after the PME has been published.
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
13 November 2025
Contracting authority
East Devon District Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PLPC-3866-LXMN
East Devon District Council, Blackdown House, Border Road, Heathpark
Honiton
EX14 1EJ
United Kingdom
Contact name: Steven Donnelly
Telephone: +44 1202 093324
Email: ( Use sidmoutheastbmp@eastdevon.gov.uk)
Website: https://www.eastdevon.gov.uk
Region: UKK43 – Devon CC
Organisation type: Public authority – sub-central government
Historical overview of previous promises
From East Devon News
From The Devon Daily
From The Sidmouth Herald
2013, Start of new BMP
2014 Minister views cliffs,
April 2014 delay,
April 2016 Hugo Swires
April 2016
April 29th 2016
June 2016 Consultation
Oct 2016 Crowd Funding
Oct 10th 2016
Dec 2016 Sub-group formed
April 14th 2018
April 27th 2018 Work expected to be completed in 2020
Sept 2018 Another Minister visits
April 2019 Asking Utility Companies for money
July 2019 Hugo Swires MP says the BMP is taking too long
Sept 2019 More money needed
Dec 2019 Some more money obtained
Jan 19th 2020, glass panel
Jan 22nd 2020 another report of the money obtained Dec 2019
Feb 2020 Glass panel survives storms
Nov 2021
March 2023 John Loudoun Opinion piece