Storm Repairs 2014 – Poole beaches

£1.8 million funding awarded to renourish the storm damaged beaches from Shore Road  to Branksome Chine by recycling sand from the Swash Channel, Poole Harbour.

The storms of winter 2013/14 caused a significant loss of sand to Shore Road beach in particular, with approximately 10 years’ worth of erosion occurring in a couple of months. Renourishment work here was prioritised ahead of a scheduled project in 2016/17 to ensure the beach was wide enough to protect properties and infrastructure against further winter storms.

The works

Originally, the planned project involved pumping approximately 40,000m³ of sand onto a 700m stretch of Shore Road beach; £750,000 of Government funding was awarded for this work. The dredging/pumping operation started on 19 November.

Further funding of £1.2 million was announced on 27 November, securing renourishment of beaches towards Branksome beach. The extended project delivered a total of 139,000m³ of sand over a period of 28 days. Carrying out the additional works with the dredger, pipeline and heavy plant already in place is estimated to represent a saving of around £300,000.

Local beach material

The beach material for this project was dredged from the main Swash Channel, used by shipping entering and exiting Poole harbour. This channel is regularly maintained by Poole Harbour Commissioners to a depth of 7.5m below chart datum to ensure that large vessels can navigate safely through Poole’s shallow waters to reach the port.

Working in partnership with Poole Harbour Commissioners in this way not only allows us access to a relatively inexpensive source of suitable beach material, but is also helping them to meet their commitment to make beneficial use of dredgings which would otherwise be disposed of at sea.

Works were completed on 16 December with the area of renourished beach stretching from the Sandbanks dune system to the end of the beach huts between Canford Cliffs and Branksome Chine.

Contractors worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to complete the extended project before Christmas, and the beaches were re-opened to the public on 18 December. Demobilization continued over Christmas and into the New Year.