Government report shows Dawlish coast "to be protected."

Government report shows Dawlish coast "to be protected."

An unpublished Government report leaked in a national paper shows that over 7,000 properties will be lost to costal erosion and home owners will not be compensated. But the report contains good news for Teignmouth and Dawlish as the coast between the seaside resorts is to be protected from storm damage - but only because of the railway.

Other parts of the peninsula do less well as the weather will be allowed to its worst for over 90% of the coastline. The Environment Agency report shows that no intervention will take place to protect most of the coast and in certain areas particularly in Cornwall there will be a managed retreat. Cornwall is expected to suffer the most losses with 76 homes destroyed over the next 20 years. (The EA figures are based on the next 100 years.)

The report shows the importance of the Dawlish Sea Wall as one of the few sections of coast in the South West peninsula to be protected. However, local residents fear that the closure of the rail line along this section could lead to this section of coast also being allowed to fall into the sea. Campaigning for the continued long term protection of the Dawlish seawall, former MP Richard Younger-Ross says the fears are well founded. "The Government are protecting most of the coast in the South East, but little of the coast in other parts of the country. The land above the cliffs in Dawlish and Teignmouth is well developed with hundreds of homes close to the cliff edge. These homes were built in the knowledge that the coast here was protected and the risk of coastal erosion was slight. If the Government opt for new high speed rail line between Exeter and Newton Abbot then the coastal line will be at risk because of the high maintenance costs. This puts the the seawall at risk and therefore also the future of these properties behind it. Lose the mainline, we will lose the seawall. These properties need protection and if not then the owners deserve compensation. Mr Younger-Ross has been leading the campaign for a study into a wave breaking reef to protect the seawall and the railway for the last 6 years. "The reef idea, if it works, would have great tourism benefits as well as being the cheapest option" he believes.

Ends

Contact Richard Younger-Ross

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The map on the link makes it very clear.