Proposal to heighten seawall at Gunsite

19 August 2015

Transport and Technical Services is proposing to raise the sea wall at the Gunsite to reduce the risk of flooding in the area.

Following extensive investigation work, the department has established that the best way to reduce the risk of flooding to the Beaumont area, is to raise the sea wall from the Gunsite slip stretching eastwards to just beyond Le Perquage Car Park, by just under one foot.

Minimise the flooding

The Beaumont area has been extensively flooded on numerous occasions when there is a high tide and stormy conditions, causing damage to properties in the area and disruption to traffic. Transport and Technical Services has gone to considerable lengths to try to minimise the flooding through the use of extra-large sand bags and even trialled a temporary inflatable barrier.

However, these methods are labour intensive and only offer partial defence. The department is putting in a planning application to raise and reshape the wall to deflect the waves back into the sea, thereby reducing the frequency of them coming over the promenade. This is a common method of sea wall construction throughout the world. The new wall would be built in keeping with the old one.

Full details of the proposed scheme will be available as usual through the planning application process in a few weeks’ time. At that time, further information will also be made available on the States website and for viewing in the Gunsite Café and at the Goose pub.