Ramsgate beach is situated immediately northeast of the Royal Harbour and is partly stabilised by the East Pier which was constructed between 1749 and 1850. The beach is backed by a near-vertical seawall along the majority of its length and in combination with the beach, this provides the only protection against coastal flooding and erosion to the residential dwellings located landward of the seawall on Marina Esplanade.
The existing seawall was showing signs of deterioration, which if not addressed would have led to the failure of the seawall and the onset of erosion. The properties behind the seawall are constructed on made-ground at the base of the cliff and therefore the loss of the seawall would result in rapid erosion and the loss of property.
The scheme was to construct a new wave wall, undertake repair works to the existing seawall and make improvements to the existing concrete groyne to reduce the risk of flooding from wave overtopping and the failure of the seawall.
The objectives of the project were to reduce the risk of flooding to the 18 households located behind the existing defences and to reduce the risk of seawall failure and the consequential loss of 36 households to erosion
Works were completed in December 2020.