A £7 million Beach Management scheme is to commence in Lincolnshire to manage coastal flood risk to around 20,000 homes and businesses.

The Environment Agency scheme will see contractors pump around 400,000 cubic metres of sand onto Lincolnshire's beaches to help protect people and their properties from coastal flood risk by preventing damage to the sea defences along the coast and reducing the risk of overtopping.

As well as local homes and businesses, the Lincolnshire Beach Management (LBM) scheme will also protect 24,500 static caravans and 35,000 hectares of land.

Work will begin on the project on Monday 13 May and run for six weeks. Beaches at Trusthorpe, Mablethorpe, Ingoldmells, Trunch Lane, Wolla Bank, Chapel Six Marshes and Huttoft will be replenished during the programme.

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Mark Robinson, senior flood risk advisor for the Environment Agency, said: "Our Lincolnshire Beach Management scheme helps us protect thousands of homes and businesses on the Lincolnshire coast. The scheme also offers real value to Lincolnshire's coastal tourism economy, by maintaining the sandy beaches that are so well-loved by residents and visitors alike.

"While our annual beach nourishment works continue to be very effective, our long-term estimates suggest that it will not be sustainable to continue with just sand as a method of flood risk management in the future due to the impact of climate change.

"This is why we have worked over a number of years to review our strategy for coastal flood risk management between Saltfleet and Gibraltar Point. We took a shortlist of options to public consultation in early 2019 and are currently finalising our new draft strategy for coastal flood risk management over the next 100 years, which we will be taking forward to consultation later this year."

(CM/MH)