Find out more about interim works required to the Hunstanton Coastal Defences
Background
Interim works are required to a 200m length of sheet piled seawall referred to as Section F and G. These sections are located between the Rock Shop Slipway and the Pier Head Building shown on the map below.
Each year the Council undertakes a range of routine repair works to the Hunstanton Coastal Defences. Routine repairs are undertaken within the existing boundary of the coastal defences and typically include works such as concrete patch repairs to defects on the seawall and promenade and joint sealant replacement. You can find out more about this on our current coastal works page.
In 2025, outputs of a series of geotechnical investigations identified that we now need to move beyond a routine repairs approach to the coastal defences and commence a capital works project to replace aspects of the coastal defences which are at the end of their designed life. This is a multi-year project and is currently in the pre-construction phase, with construction works expected to commence from 2028/29 onwards. You can find out more about this work on our Hunstanton Coastal Defence Capital Works page.
Interim works are activities beyond routine maintenance that are required before the long-term capital works scheme can be delivered.
In this instance, interim works are a temporary measure required to mitigate against the risk of further deterioration of the Section F and G sheet piled seawall which routine works cannot address.
Section F and G interim works
The Council has been monitoring the condition of a 200m length of sheet piled seawall between the Rock Shop Slipway and Pier Head Building (referred to as Section F and G). Independent engineering analysis of this monitoring data has confirmed that the seawall is now undergoing structural movement, and interim works are needed to prevent further deterioration and structural failure of the seawall until a permanent longer-term solution can be delivered as part of the capital works project.
Interim works will involve temporary installation of granite rock armour at the base of the Section F and G seawall to provide sufficient mass to prevent further structural movement and failure of the seawall until a permanent solution can be designed and constructed as part of the capital works project.
The rock armour installation will be approximately 200 metres in length by 9 metres wide, with a height of 2-3 metres.
Next steps
In order to commence construction of the interim works, the Council will first need to obtain several permissions including: -
- Planning permission from the Local Planning Authority
- Marine Licence from the Marine Management Organisation
- Site of Special Scientific Interest Assent from Natural England
The Council has appointed Fairhurst (UK) Ltd to review permission options, confirm requirements to submit applications for the above permissions, and to provide a timeline for submission and determination.
Construction of interim works cannot commence until relevant permissions are received. Further details around the construction of the rock armour will be confirmed over the coming months and updates provided in due course.
Find out more
Further information on why these works are required and what interim works will involve is available in the frequently asked questions and non-technical summary documents provided below:
If you have any further questions, you can contact us at any time via email at floodandwatermanagement@west-norfolk.gov.uk.
Further updates will be added to this webpage as work progresses.