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A Jackson team is carrying out urgent works to install temporary sea defences for a property on the Suffolk coast.
The beachside house in the village of Thorpeness near Sizewell is located on sand cliffs, which have been pushed back due to coastal erosion. The owner of the property appointed Jackson to carry out the work after nearby houses were demolished because they became unsafe.
The work involves placing approximately 250, four and two tonne rock bags along a 50-metre stretch of beach in front of the property. The scheme designers Ramboll have created a flexible design, so the rock bags can be moved around should more scouring appear in a particular area of the cliff face. Geotextile mats are being placed under the rock bags to stabilise the ground and prevent erosion of shingle and sand around the rock.
The rock bags are delivered to a compound 400m along the beach and then transported to the work site by dumper. The rock bags have been supplied by SPS from Great Yarmouth while Ovenden are carrying out the rock placement work.
Since the work started for the private client, East Suffolk Council has announced it is considering a second phase of temporary sea defences under cliffs adjacent to the north of the current work and Jackson is in discussions to continue its involvement.
A visit from the BBC
BBC Suffolk reporters visited the site last week to report on the work.
The issue of coastal erosion is a hot topic in East Anglia and especially in Thorpeness where, according to the BBC, five homes have been demolished since 2022 after erosion reached critical safety levels. It also reported that demolition work has started on another six homes in the village – a block of five apartments and detached house.
About Jackson Civil Engineering
Jackson is a regionally structured civil engineering firm with national capabilities. Our no-nonsense approach to work means that our clients keep coming back because they can rely on us to get the job done on time and on budget. We have a strong reputation a...
