Latest Works

Emergency Recycling (Duration: unknown)

14th December 2011

Although the severity of the 12/13th December storm was not predicted, it was obvious that shingle would need to be recycled in order to restore defences to their previous level. Machines had thus been ordered on 12th December and were ready to start work the following morning. By Christmas the most vulnerable areas had been reinforced, allowing drivers to take their traditional two week break. Work will restart on 9th January, although it will be some time before all areas are fully restored.

Harbour Bypassing (Duration 1 week)

21st November 2011

Sufficient shingle has built up on the south side of Sovereign Harbour for bypassing to start. Works will be for one week only and run Monday to Friday (21st to 25th) every day from 07:30 until about 16:30. The route from Langney to Sovereign Harbour north will be as specified by Eastbourne Borough Council and ESCC Highways, and remains exactly as it has been in recent years. A road sweeper will be on hand to ensure the public highway is kept free of debris.

General Recycling (Duration: 2 weeks)

10th October 2011

The end of summer heralds the start of the recycling season in preparation for whatever the coming winter may throw at us. Areas requiring attention are much the same as usual for this time of year.  Initially shingle will be sourced from Cooden beach and delivered to Herbrand Walk, near the level crossing.  Then beach from Herbrand Walk west will be used to reinforce Normans Bay East.  After this Beachlands will be bolstered using accretion at Normans Bay outfall and from in front of the Camping & Caravan Club.  It is not planned to do any recycling at Sovereign Harbour because annual recharge material remains in place.  Additionally it is likely that a first batch of shingle from south of Sovereign Harbour will be bypassed onto the north beach later this month.

Annual Maintenance Recharge July 2011

13th July 2011

Sospan Dau started work replenishing Pevensey Bay's sea defences today by delivering her first cargo of the year to Sovereign Harbour.  This season's campaign will be much more disjointed than usual as the dredger has to be in South Wales by 24th July and then in dry dock in Holland on 11th August.  Hopefully all Pevensey's work can be completed before or between these two dates.  Recharge at Bulverhythe for the Environment Agency will be delayed until September and a refit in Rotterdam.

Sovereign Harbour residents will hopefully be pleased to hear that there will be no machines used on the beach for material recovery, the material being allowed to be spread by subsequent wave action.

Work finishes for Winter 2010-11

12th April 2011

The final bulldozer left the beach last Friday, and hopefully will not have to return until autumn. Perhaps the recent April heatwave heralds a long and relaxing summer for us all. Dredger Sospan Dau is due to have some major maintenance work done late this summer, so is likely to undertake this year's annual recharge in late June or early July.

General Recycling (Duration: 2 weeks)

17th March 2011

Recent years have seen significant wave activity associated with the high spring tides in March. With this in mind a second period of recycling was arranged to coincide with the highest tides. Planning works in this way allows us to react quickly should any erosion occur, since a fleet of trucks can move far more material far quicker than bulldozers on their own. Work re-started on 17th March at PBSC and Sovereign Harbour, then the following day at Beachlands. From Monday to Friday (21-25th) shingle was moved from Herbrand Walk to Sovereign Harbour, right along the frontage. As in previous years all trucks were in convoy and limited to 10mph in an attempt to minimise inconvenience.

General Recycling (Duration: 2 weeks)

21st February 2011

Although the worst weather has not coincided with the higher spring tides, there has been beach movement over the last few months that needs to be addressed.  Work started at Sovereign Harbour at the end of last week and will today move to Normans Bay and Beachlands before continuing east to Cooden and Herbrand Walk.  Machines are expected to leave the beach again on or before 4th March.

Harbour Bypassing (Duration 1 week)

22nd November 2010

As well as causing erosion along the Pevensey frontage, recent storms built up shingle on the south side of Sovereign Harbour. Excess beach will be brought round the harbour by road all this week, working 07:30 to 17:00.

Emergency Recycling

9th November 2010

Yesterday's storm has caused widespread erosion along the entire frontage. In many places the crest has receded further than at any other time in the last 10 years. Three bulldozers are already working and will be joined by an excavator and three dump trucks tomorrow. Work will concentrate on highest risk areas before working elsewhere, but it may be several weeks before the beach is returned to its pre-storm condition.

General Recycling (Duration: 2-3 weeks)

5th October 2010

First works for winter 2010-11 will start on Friday with the arrival of a bulldozer, closely followed on Monday by two dump trucks and an excavator to start recycling. At this stage the order of works has yet to be decided – and to some degree will be driven by any weather we experience this weekend on the 8.1m tide.

Current forecasts suggest that from Thursday winds will be from the east or north east, certainly until Monday or Tuesday when tide levels will have fallen significantly. Having said that recycling is likely to focus on moving beach from Cooden to Herbrand Walk and Normans Bay, the Camping & Caravan Club to Beachlands and PBSC to 'White Horses' – but will include any other location shown to require reinstatement.

Autumn Beach Maintenance Works

29th September 2010

Sospan Dau duly completed her Pevensey work on 18th September, and is currently working for the Environment Agency at Bulverhythe before moving on to Seaford.

Two sets of 8.0m spring tides in August and September came and went without incident, but can our luck hold for equally high tides on 8th and 9th October?.

A bulldozer is expected to arrive early next week, with a view making good any minor erosion that exists. If the weather looks as though it is set to deteriorate before the spring tides, trucks will arrive in advance so as to be able to quickly repair any further erosion.