THE Environment Agency is seeking approval to build a 150-metre long trial flood embankment on the Steart Peninsula, to test whether its plans for a permanent embankment would work.
The Weekly News has reported how the agency is hoping to secure planning permission and funding for a major flood defence scheme at Steart, which would involve creating a massive new wetland for birds and amphibians, and building new flood defences.
However, in supporting documents for its newly submitted planning application for a temporary embankment, the agency says: “We have carried out an initial site investigation, which has shown that the foundation soils are weak and highly compressible, making ground conditions less than ideal for a simple embankment construction.
“In order to progress the design, it is necessary to obtain more information about the performance of an embankment constructed from locally won material.”
If permission is granted, the temporary embankment, which would be 53 metres wide and just over four metres high, would be built between April and October next year.
The agency says the trial embankment would be incorporated into the rest of the new flood defences if the scheme is approved, and can be removed if the scheme does not go ahead.
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