Work to save part of Exmouth’s sea wall, which should have begun last month, is now due to get under way in March.
The £1.1 million emergency repairs should take around eight-and-a-half weeks to complete, with a 255-metre barrier of steel sheet piles being installed between Sideshore, the retail and restaurant outlet, and Coastwatch House on the seafront.
It comes after cracks appeared in the wall, which is believed to be around 100 years old, in front of Sideshore last August.
Storms then weakened it further, putting it at risk of collapse, with temporary repairs of concrete blocks and sand holding it together.
Because it doesn’t have foundations and the beach is low at this section, waves have washed sand from underneath.
Read more: Solution to save section of Exmouth's sea wall could cost over £1 million
Designs and a construction programme will be released soon, East Devon District Council said, with more updates as work progresses.
The Environment Agency will contribute “substantial funding” to the project, but hasn’t said how much, the local authority added. Last year it was suggested the sum would be around £500,000.
Cllr Geoff Jung (Lib Dem, Woodbury and Lympstone) said: “We want the repair works to have the minimum amount of detrimental effect on visitors and residents who visit Exmouth beach by avoiding the busy summer period and the least amount of disruption to the businesses as well.
“However, some disruption is unavoidable for these emergency works, which we apologise for.”
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