From Cllr. John Watkins - Margate Central Ward - Thanet District Council (Cllr. Watkins is a former Naval Officer & a long-serving member of the Margate Lifeboat Crew). "Welcome news this week comes in a report that the Labour Government has allocated an initial £4 million pounds to improve flood protection for Margate. It has been decided that major investment is vital to move to a 1 in 200 year flooding risk for the seafront and Old Town areas. The association of British Insurers has warned that failure to invest in adequate flood defences on the east coast could result in £16 billion worth of damage due to future North Sea storm surges similar to events in 1987, 1978, 1971 and 1953.
Flood protection at Margate has been a constant task since the Nayland Rock Stone Groyne and the Harbour Arm were first constructed at the start of the nineteenth century. These two sea defences shaped the famous Margate Main sands that helped to make the town a famous seaside resort. However, rising sea levels in this century now make additional work necessary.
Following an Environment Agency grant of £98,000 in 2009, a feasibility study has now produced two different options. The first plan would consist of a new 7m concrete sea wall constructed along Marine Drive, this would rise to around 2m higher than the existing wall now running alongside the pavement. The second, more favourable plan is for stepped revetments from the beach level up to a new wall, marginally higher than the present one, thus preserving the views out to seaward. Both these options would be in addition to the necessary reinforcement works to the Harbour Arm.
Although the preferred option will require extra government funding from the Environment Agency, in addition to the allocated £4million, this plan has been recommended by both the Margate Renewal Partnership Board and the Urban Design Panel. This major funding from central government is in addition to the many millions already allocated for regeneration projects in Margate in recent years".
Cllr. Peter Campbell - Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Economic Development at TDC said "This is yet another example of the Labour Government investing in Thanet & the people of Thanet. New Schools, Refurbished Hospitals, £40million Cliftonville regeneration, Surestart, pension credits, winter fuel allowance, working families tax credits the list goes on. All will be put at risk if a Tory Government takes over at the next election".
Wednesday 10 March 2010
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It was the storm of 1808 that reshaped the Margate Coastline. The sea actually reached Tivoli and the Brooks which was the towns water supply was contaminated. To prevent this from happening again a sea wall was built from behind where Primark is today to Westbrook by the Nayland. The actually wall is the one visable today on Margate Beach and Marine Terrace was developed in later years on the shore side of this wall. Infact most of the Dreamland site is infill.
ReplyDeleteThe Stone Pier was completed in 1815, the addition of the groyne by the Nayland and the construction of the Swimming Pool and Pavillion (Sundeck)in 1926 has led to the continual silting process in the bay.