Builders working against clock to fix Tresco sea wall
Builders on Tresco are attempting to fix the collapsed sea wall at Appletree Bay before the next spring tide.
Photos by George Kershaw
The wall, which protects the Abbey Garden and the main road access to Carn Near Quay, was unable to withstand the high tides and strong westerly winds of Storm Eleanor earlier this month.
Tresco Estate had employed four workers from mainland firm Symons Construction to replace parts of the island's roads. However, they ended up being told that they were needed to work on the wall.
George Kershaw from Tresco told This is Scilly News: "We have accumulated enough aggregate and cement to do many metres of new concrete road, which will now be used to replace the sea wall at Appletree Bay. The original wall was made with sand from the beach and mixed up by the islands' workforce at the time."
He said that the wall did well to last as long as it did.
Photos by George Kershaw
The builders hope to have a new section approximately 20 metres long completed in time for the next spring tide. Each section that collapsed was roughly four metres long.
George added: "I think with the pattern of storms we have had so far this winter that we may well end up having the new section 'tested' quite soon and the builders agree, so they are going to pull out all the stops to have something in place for the next spring tides."
New Year's Day, before the storm. Photo by Tom Matthews
In his report for the Full Council meeting next week, Lead Member for Place Robert Francis said that the Council is liaising with the Environment Agency to see if any funding is available to support the necessary repairs.