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£19.8M Coastal Defence Plan Aims to Buy Time for Village
14 Jul
Summary
- Environment Agency plans £19.8m scheme to protect vulnerable coastal community.
- Storm damage to the A379 road is not covered by the new improvement project.
- Key repairs to a car park and rock revetment are expected by June 2027.
A significant £19.8 million improvement scheme has been approved by the Environment Agency to bolster coastal defenses for a community repeatedly hit by severe winter storms. Last year, properties were damaged and a crucial section of the A379 road was washed away, leaving villagers stranded during 12ft waves in February.
The planned work, set to be completed by June 2027, includes repairing a storm-breached car park and implementing rock revetment. While this initiative is described as "value for money" and will "buy the community some time," it is not a permanent solution.
A major concern for the 300-strong community is that the repair of the Slapton Line, the A379 road, is not included in the Environment Agency's project. This road is considered a lifeline, and its closure has severely impacted access and transport for Torcross and the neighbouring village of Slapton.
Coastal engineers acknowledge there are "no easy answers" and that the scheme provides a temporary respite for the community, government, and the agency to consider long-term solutions. The damage to coastal defenses was initially caused by storms in January and exacerbated in February.
