Flood protection plans considered

Plans for a major flood protection scheme for Margate have been passed to council officers to approve.

The proposals were considered by the council’s Planning Committee last night (Wednesday 25 May). In total, they looked at four separate planning applications, between them covering the seafront from Marine Gardens to Turner Contemporary, along with the Harbour Arm.

The first application is to construct a series of wide steps from the beach to the promenade around the Kings Steps area to stop the risk of waves breaking over the sea wall. The sturgeon lights would be removed from the existing wall and put back when the new wall is completed. A second application asked for Conservation Area Consent to partially demolish the seawall, so that this work could be carried out.

The other two applications both relate to strengthening and repair works along the Harbour Arm, with sheet piling put into the chalk around the pier wall and below its base. This would be finished off with a concrete cap.

The Planning Committee decided to defer the final decision to officers, with a recommendation that the plans be approved, subject to Natural England confirming that they have no objection to the scheme on the grounds of ecology.

Local businesses and residents can find out more about what’s being planned at two drop-in sessions being held by the council in June. Both will be held at the Margate Media Centre in King Street, with the first taking place on Thursday 16 June, from 5.00pm to 8.00pm and the second on Tuesday 21 June, from 2.00pm until 5.00pm. The work is planned to take place over the coming year, further details of which will be available at the drop in sessions.

The Environment Agency has already put £1 million into the project, which will cost just over £6.1 million. The remainder of the money is due to be paid over the next two years by the Environment Agency. The planned scheme would increase protection along this part of the Margate coastline considerably, from a one in 20 year flooding event to a one in 200 year flooding event.