About the scheme

How long will the work last?

The work will be completed at Cromer by winter 2024. However, the Runton Road car park work site will stay in place until summer 2025 to help with the work at Mundesley.

What time will the work be taking place?

Work will take place between 7am and 6pm. However, some parts of the work, such as rock delivery and placement, will need to be done outside these hours due to tidal constraints.

How much does the Cromer Phase 2 Coastal Management Scheme cost, and how is it being funded?

The total budget is £25 million for Cromer and Mundesley combined. A Government grant from the Environment Agency will meet the cost.

The process

Where does the rock come from?

The rock comes from Glensanda quarry, located in west Scotland.

What size is the rock?

There are three grades of rock.

  • 15kg to 300kg with an average diameter of 0.4 metres
  • 300kg to 1,000kg with an average diameter of 0.7 metres
  • 3,000kg to 6,000kg with an average diameter of 1.2 metres

Where is the rock going?

It's going on the beach in front of the seawall, from Cromer Pier to approximately in line with the bottom of Melbourne Slope.

Why is the rock going there?

It is designed to take the energy out of the waves, preventing cobbles and waves from being launched over the sea wall. This will preserve the life of the seawall and protect the assets and cliffs behind it along the promenade. It will also reduce flooding and debris along the promenade.

How often is the rock delivered?

Rock is delivered at every high tide, depending on the weather.

Why is a big hole being dug?

The big hole is to construct the rock revetment. At its deepest point, it is around 4.5 metres deep.

How big will the revetment be?

The cross-section shows the estimated size of the revetment.

How does the rock get on the beach?

A big boat delivers the rock to a transhipment zone three nautical miles offshore. Part of the boat's load is unloaded onto a barge. The barge comes into the shore during high tide, and the rock is dropped onto the foreshore. When the tide goes out, the rock is recovered using the excavators and dumpers and sorted into the different stockpile locations on the beach.

How big are the excavators and dumpers?

The plant size is based on weight. The dumpers are 40 tonnes, and the excavators are 50 tonnes, which is between four and five double-decker buses!

What will the rock delivery barges sit on?

The barges will come in at high water and offload the rock. As the tide starts to recede, the barge will leave. They will not ground on the beach.

What is the black membrane?

The black membrane is a very strong geotextile. It is designed to prevent the rocks from sinking into the beach over time and to prevent fine beach material from entering the rock structure, which would reduce its effectiveness.

Why are the barriers set back from the wall?

When the rock is placed and moved, parts of it can shatter and send flying shards. The barriers prevent people from looking over at the point of placement.

Local facilities affected

The work site has been set up in Runton Road car park. Will the rest of the car park remain open?

The vast majority of the car park will be open for the duration of the work.

Will the beach be closed when the rock is delivered?

For health and safety reasons, some localised beach closures will be necessary while the rock is being unloaded. The rock deliveries will be done at high tide and then moved into place. Signs and traffic marshals will direct members of the public to safe locations to watch the rock delivery.

Are the slopes behind the promenades going to be affected?

Slope stabilisation work is part of the North Norfolk District Council repair and maintenance programme.

Will there be small work sites on or near the promenade?

Yes, they will be located on the promenade to help with the work or to store materials and plants. The main compounds on the promenade will be the far western promenade and by the Fisherman's Ramp (East Beach). These are subject to change and other areas may be occupied. 

Will the beach be closed from the Melbourne Slope to Cromer Pier?

Yes, occasionally. There will be localised closures whilst delivery and the placement of rock are happening.

After the project

Have you found anything exciting in the dig?

With projects like this, you often find things of archaeological interest, but so far, we have not found anything.

With rock being placed on the far western extent of Cromer, will there still be access to the beach once work is completed?

Yes, the rocks are to be placed to reduce cliff erosion in this area, but access to the beach will remain once the rock is in place.

When the work is completed, what beach profile change is expected?

The main purpose of the rock is to take energy out of waves, which will help keep sediment (sand and shingle) longer. Beach levels should remain more stable.

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