Plans in for 'rock armour' to further strengthen Sunderland's sea defences

It comes after proposals were submitted earlier this year to extend the existing “rock armour” along the front of the Stonehill Wall coastal defence at the port.

The wall is a coastal defence structure that protects businesses and infrastructure within the Port of Sunderland near the New South Pier and to the east of Hudson Dock.

The latest proposal, submitted by the city council’s flood and coastal team, seeks to further improve the coastal defences by extending the rock revetment northwards along the front of the Stonehill Wall and South Pier.

Councillors are due to make a decision on the development at a meeting of the Planning and Highways Committee on Thursday, September 22, and a report from officers recommends the proposals are approved.

It said: “It is considered that the proposed development is acceptable in land use terms given that the development is concerned with the improvement of the coastal flooding infrastructure designed to protect the Port of Sunderland.

“The proposals raise no concerns relative to the amenity of the area, built heritage, archaeology, highway and pedestrian safety and ground conditions/land contamination.

“The development is also compatible with a location which is at high risk of flooding given that the works affect flood defences.”

The proposals would see the revetment extend approximately 16-17 metres out from the front of the wall, into the tidal foreshore, and comprises two ramped layers of large granite blocks.

The revetment extension ends at the end of the curve at the southern end of the pier and covers an area of approximately 3305 square metres.

The Stonehill Wall was constructed in around 1900 as part of the development of the New South Pier and it extends for approximately 240 metres and has an average height of an estimated 4.6 metres.

It is a reinforced concrete, granite-faced gravity retaining structure founded off bedrock, and to the seaward side of the south end, additional defence is provided by a granite rock revetment.

Repairs to decking at the Stonehill Wall sea defences, that were damaged in the winter and spring storms of 2018, have already been completed previously.

The plans come after the city council’s cabinet in September last year agreed the next steps for a project to create new rock revetment walls to update and improve the port’s Stonehill Wall and Hendon Foreshore Barrier sea defences.