Sea defence planswill be unveiled atCamber this week

Work on the defences is set to begin in the coming months.

When completed the Broomhill Sands coastal defence scheme will improve the flood protection to over 1,300 homes and over 100 businesses by increasing the standard of protection to the area from one in 20 years to one in 200 years.

Local residents and interested groups will have the opportunity to talk to the Environment Agency at the drop-in session, which will be held at Camber Memorial Hall, on Saturday 12 July between 10am and 3pm.

Members of the project team will be on hand to discuss the proposals with the local community and present the proposed sculptural artworks for the frontage and models produced by local schoolchildren.

The improvements will cover 2.4km of beach from The Suttons, Camber to the western boundary of Lydd Ranges, and will include a new rock revetment; the construction of a new wave wall; increasing the amount of shingle on the beach; and the replacement of a number of the existing timber groynes.

Ian Nunn, Environment Agency Operations Manager, said: “We would like to update the local community on how the Broomhill Sands coastal defence scheme will work and answer any questions they might have about the project.

“We understand that members of the community might have lots of questions about the scheme, and I would encourage them to come along to the drop-in session to talk to Environment Agency staff and find out more.”

The scheme is supported using public funding by the National Lottery. The Environment Agency has used this to employ an artist, Will Nash, to design and produce some sculptures.