£125,000 to be spent on repairing beacons on five groynes in Selsey
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The groynes form a significant part of sea defence, limiting the loss of sand and shingle to the tides.
But the longer ones can pose a threat to boats and anyone else using the water so have to be marked with beacons.
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Hide AdDuring a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (October 10), members recommended that money be taken from the general reserve to pay for the work.
The recommendation will be put to the full council next month for a final thumbs-up.
Mr Brown said: “Over the decades, the council has contributed to coastal defences, building and maintaining structures including groynes to protect the coast.
“The groynes extend into the sea and pose a threat to navigation so have to be marked with beacons.
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Hide Ad“We have 37 of them. These are routinely inspected and five in Selsey are missing or beyond repair and need replacement.
“If we choose not to replace them, it will pose significant danger to those using the water and would represent a serious liability to the council.”
Three of the groynes are on West Beach and two on East Beach, with each replacement or repair expected to cost up to £25,000.
Explaining the high price, Mr Brown said: “The cost of repairs varies according to location, extent of the damage and the depth – and unfortunately the five in question are all in relatively deep water and will require specialist marine equipment and, potentially, construction divers to repair.
“So the cost per beacon is substantial.”
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Hide AdHe added that, while the council could often apply for a grant to build sea defences, none was available in the case and no money had been set aside in a specific reserve.
The cabinet agreed that, from 2024/25, an annual budget of £24,200 be added to the asset replacement programme to pay for future work – a total of £605,000 over the next 25 years.