E&I urged to tackle erosion as coastal path starts to disappear

Wednesday 24 February 2021

One of our coastal paths is in danger of being destroyed if steps aren’t taken to protect it, with “one big storm” enough to wash it away.

Coastal erosion at Les Fontenelles is being monitored by the Vale Commons Council who are seeking help from the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure.

The Vale Douzaine has had numerous calls from walkers near Beaucette Marina about the damage to the path, which is nearly unusable.

Marquis Survey Limited undertook an extensive survey on the area two years ago. The accuracy of the GPS survey is such that a 20p coin buried on the Common could be located and retrieved 20 years later, according to the council that manages the land. Further measurements will be taken in the future to track continued erosion. 

Pictured: The potential break in the path would require a major detour to get back to the coast.

The problem isn’t new. The council has been back and forth with E&I for more than two years.

“The erosion has been going on for a good few years,” said President of the Vale Commons Council, Peter Blake. “We didn’t get very far with the old committee. We’re trying to get a better relationship with the new President of E&I."

The VCC has met Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez and the issue has now been designated to Agriculture, Countryside Land Management Services. 

"I met with Peter Blake and Roger Dadd of the VCC in January to discuss how we could work together on aspects where our mandates intersect," said Deputy de Sausmarez. "It was a very good meeting and I look forward to continuing that kind of constructive direct dialogue with them over the current political term."

Pictured: More than 15 metres of land has been lost due to erosion over the last several decades (Credit: Vale Parish)

"One of the issues we discussed when I met with Peter and Roger was Les Fontenelles," said Deputy de Sausmarez.

"A site visit [by ACLMS] that was being arranged in January to better assess the situation has had to be postponed in order to comply with lockdown restrictions, but it will of course be rescheduled as soon as possible," she said.

Original advice from the previous E&I was to simply move the path inland. Mr Blake says this isn’t possible because the weaker parts of the path back on to private land.

He hopes that serious consideration will be given to developing rock armour around the headland.

“If something isn’t done soon, the pathway will go, and no one will be able to walk that way."

Pictured top: Fontenelle Bay (Credit: Vale Parish website).