Library image, Hythe seafront – SCOPIX
Folkestone & Hythe District Council has successfully secured £2.35 million in funding from the Environment Agency to continue its vital beach management program, safeguarding over 3,000 coastal homes and businesses from flooding.
The funding ensures the biannual recycling and regrading of shingle between Fisherman’s Beach and Folkestone Harbour for the next five years. This method, in use since 2004, is considered the most cost-effective approach to protect the 7-kilometer stretch of coastline. The current shingle management technique offers significantly enhanced flood and erosion defence compared to older timber groynes. Many of these older structures remain submerged beneath the existing shingle levels and are insufficient to adequately protect the coastline against flooding or rising sea levels.
Councillor Stephen Scoffham, Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Biodiversity, emphasized the importance of the program.
“The recycling and regrading of 160,000 cubic metres of shingle provides effective and crucial protection against coastal flooding for thousands of residents, we are delighted to have secured this Environment Agency funding to ensure the beach management program continues.”