Balfour sea wall crumbles in Blackpool storms

Grant Prior 10 years ago
Share

Part of a new sea wall being built by Balfour Beatty in Blackpool has collapsed following stormy weather.

Stone foundations and a concrete base on the £22m scheme at Anchorsholme have crumbled into the sea.

The sea wall in the north of the resort is part of a £86m programme for new sea defences.

Work on the scheme began in April as part of a joint programme between the Environment Agency and Blackpool and Wyre councils.

Conservative councillor for Anchorsholme Paul Galley told the BBC: “The foundation area for the new promenade which is the core casing over the old promenade… has collapsed over Christmas and it has caused a lot of concern because obviously this is the bit that is meant to hold all the weight for the completed tonnage.

“When the project was first started there was a lot of euphoria and people were very excited. Now with the fact it has collapsed there is genuine concern over how safe it will be.”

Councillor Fred Jackson, cabinet member for urban regeneration said most of the damage was caused to a concrete layer – or blinding – which he said will be protected by wave breaker units when work is completed.

He said: “Once installed these units will be able to withstand the force of powerful waves thereby safeguarding the community.”

A spokesman for Balfour Beatty said: “Progress on the Fylde Peninsular Coastal Programme (FPCP) has been impacted by severe coastal storms and abnormally high tides in recent months with the concrete blinding and stone foundations in part of the Anchorsholme section being temporarily affected.

“We are working to rectify the damage which has occurred as quickly as possible and we will continue to work closely with our partner on the Fylde Peninsular Partnership, Blackpool Council, to complete the scheme by Autumn 2015.”

Latest news

Breyer Group battles for survival as rivals circle

Housing maintenance firm fights three winding up petitions in a month
22 hours ago

Galliford Try gets go-ahead for Milton Keynes PRS tower

33-storey tower needs gateway 2 approval before work can start
16 hours ago

Careys facing £2.4m claim by developer over demolition cartel

Giant Hong Kong developer claims it was overcharged on Lots Road Power Station job
22 hours ago

Lendlease Construction renamed Bovis

US private equity firm completes £35m purchase of UK contracting business and rebrands
21 hours ago

Multiplex profit drops a third as revenue rises to £780m

Spate of new orders sets contractor up for three years of work
21 hours ago

Galliford Try and Breheny land latest Sizewell C road deals

More infrastructure deals for new nuclear power station
2 days ago

Worker trapped in collapsed septic tank pit

Contractor and director fined after worker suffers multiple fractures
22 hours ago

Homes England buys stalled Broad Marsh site

Demolition to finally be completed as developer hunt begins
1 day ago

Vistry go-ahead for 353 homes at Rochester Riverside

Work to start on next phase of Kent town regeneration at end of this year
2 days ago

M&E firm J S Wright collapsed owing £19m

Trade creditors hit for £11.4m by employee-owned Midlands firm
2 days ago

Right to work checks to be extended to self-employed

Government plans crackdown on illegal working and rogue employers
2 days ago

Midlands developer turns to London with £1bn resi schemes trio

SevenCapital plans 1,000 flats in Kensington, Islington and the Isle of Dogs projects
2 days ago

Deck falls off huge scissor lift at Winvic site

Two men seriously injured as platform plunges to the ground
5 days ago

Weston targets Build to Rent with new division

Weston Partnerships signs first deals with asset managers and councils
2 days ago

Bouygues seals deal for £119m Cardiff college campus

Construction to start in June on two new buildings
5 days ago

£140m cash injection to speed-up flood defence schemes

Funding part of £2.65bn investment over the next two years
2 days ago

Bid race starts for £15bn schools framework refresh

DfE throws framework open to more contractors
5 days ago

Berkeley’s £600m Borough Triangle project approved

Controversial scheme features two towers of 38 and 44-storeys
6 days ago

London Mayor calls in blocked 600-bed student scheme

Refused 20-storey London PBSA block may still be built
5 days ago

HG to build 500-bed London Stratford student scheme

Work will start later this year subject to gateway 2 safety approval
6 days ago

Arrest after pedestrian death on construction site

Tragedy during site preparation works for new Wigan car park
5 days ago

British Steel threatens closure of Scunthorpe blast furnaces

Chinese owners say sectional steel and rail supplies will be maintained
6 days ago

Planning green light for Sheffield warehouse site

Existing factories to be demolished in new scheme for Rula Developments
5 days ago

New rail property company to unlock land for 40,000 homes

First four sites released in Newcastle, Cambridge, Manchester, and Nottingham
6 days ago

Drainage specialist Subscan files administration notice

Specialist employing 131 people files court notice
6 days ago

Four win Network Rail £300m engineering design deal

Eastern region deal will include design for Northern Powerhouse Rail
6 days ago

Funding go-ahead for Banwell bypass after fresh cost hike

Galliford Try contract rises £14m to £64m after final design change
6 days ago

Graham wins Southport £75m Marine Lakes Centre

Firm replaces Kier which parted ways with backer Sefton Council
6 days ago

Chancellor unveils extra £2bn capital spend a year

Construction promised a defence dividend in military base and homes upgrade work
7 days ago

McLaren confirms subcontractor team on £135m warehouse job

Work starts on TN2 Gateway site in Kent.
7 days ago

Contractor services