Work starts on L'ancresse wall

Tuesday 23 January 2018

Preparation works to install protective rock armour opposite the L'Ancresse East kiosk will start today, Tuesday 23 January.

The work, which is expected to last for three weeks, is the second part of a project to stabilise the wall at the most damaged section ahead of the future realignment of the bay.

A sloping structure of approximately 400 tonnes of boulders will be built against the wall to protect it from storm damage. Those boulders will range in size between one and four tonnes each, and will be placed over a "geotextile membrane".

Pictured: L'ancresse Bay, image captured from beneath the damaged section of the wall

The access road between Les Mielles and the public carpark to the east of the kiosk will be closed from tomorrow, 24 January, until Thursday 26 January. Then again from 29 January until 2 February, it will be closed to all vehicles other than the lorries delivering the boulders. The road will re-open at the weekend between those dates.

The site was prepared yesterday, with a temporary platform installed to enable the vehicles to get the boulders onto the beach.

The rock armour will only be placed on the beach once all of the stone has been delivered to the site, which is estimated to be by 2 February. The work will take place during daylight hours only.

The States said efforts would be made to allow walkers a continuous path behind the wall, but the eastern slipway will be closed as an access point onto the beach until the work is done. Access will instead be via the steps at the eastern end of the bay.

The scheduled Parkruns across the common on Saturday mornings will be unaffected.