On Thursday, 11 July, 2024, the Directors of Great Cliff (Dawlish) Ltd held a site meeting with Richard Rainbow, Drainage & Coastal Manager from Teignbridge District Council. The purpose of the meeting was to clarify TDC's position and action plans, following the recent Cliff Inspection Report from FSL Ltd. Richard confirmed that Planning Permission would be sought to undertake the necessary works on the cliff face in two stages: (1) the filling in of the tunnel with block work at the tunnel face and concrete and (2) The netting of the complete cliff face from top to bottom from the far west side of our car park to the bin shed (the area of TDC's cliff face ownership). TDC will need to consult with Natural England before any of the works progress.
Stage 1: Filling in of the Tunnel
It was envisaged that Stage 1 could be undertaken in August 2024 and was unlikely to disrupt our current car parking restrictions at the rear of our car park. However, a concrete mixer or similar may need to be parked at the front of our building or parked in the west side entrance where approx. 30 to 60 tonnes of concrete would be pumped to the tunnel through pipes, once the entrance had been blocked up in stages. The tunnel stonework at the front would be left intact and the blocked tunnel entrance would either be stone effect or red to match the cliff face. A bat survey would need to be completed before the works commence. Discussions were in place with a suitable contractor to provide costings to TDC which would be financed by TDC's Insurance Company or by TDC themselves.
Stage 2: Netting the Cliff Face
Estimates for netting the cliff face had already been received and costs were likely to be in excess of £100k, involving galvanised netting and a three-week temporary road closure to Teignmouth Road necessitating traffic lights to reduce the main road to one lane only. A site compound would need to be provided and car parking at the rear would be severely restricted in two phases - car parking to the right of the bin shed and then car parking to the left of the bin shed. TDC are hoping to provide temporary parking to residents affected by the works which may be along Marine Parade (owned by Devon CC) or at Barton Terrace (owned by TDC). The works are likely to go ahead in October 2024 and residents should be aware that a considerable amount of noise will be made from drilling into the cliff face to pin the netting in place. Hours of work would be from 9am to 5 pm each day. As above, the cost of the works will be financed by TDC's Insurance Company or by TDC themselves. Our car park fencing will be removed during the works and replaced once complete, as this will continue to prevent public access to the cliff face.
We have been assured that further information will be made available to Crown Property Management Ltd and the Leaseholders & Residents by TDC as Planning Permission etc progresses.