Weathered and worn by decades of exposure to the elements, the slipway and seawall at Seaview are now shipshape thanks to repairs carried out by the Isle of Wight Council’s coastal protection team.
The slipway is well used by local residents and holidaymakers, the sailing club as well as the many small boat owners, water sports enthusiasts and groups of local sea swimmers who brave the cold Solent waters all year round.
However, the community facility which dates from the 1930s had fallen into a poor state of repair, with a concrete slab that was crumbling and a huge void below it.
The seawall on which the slipway sits was also damaged in places with large holes starting to form allowing material to be lost from underneath the structure.
As well as providing safe access for all to the beach and sea, the council’s other priority was to ensure further damage from future storms and every day tidal erosion could not take place.
Dix:
Natasha Dix, the council’s strategic manager for the environment, explained,
“We instructed for the voiding to be investigated to see the extent of the problem, then to fill the voids and finally secure the seawall render.
“On the slipway the job was to remove all remanence of the cracked and broken concrete pad and relay the pad but to also make good the edging of the slipway where the pad and stone work meet.”
All work was undertaken by the council’s coastal protection team — from the initial inspections and investigatory work, to awarding the contract to carry out the structural repairs to Corefix, an Island-based family-run business with more than 18 years’ experience in structural and civil engineering.
Councillor Paul Fuller, the Cabinet member responsible for coastal protection, said,
“Carrying out these repairs was vital to ensuring there was no further damage throughout the winter and the local community could continue to use the slipway, which from feedback that I’ve received is so important.
“It was fantastic to see that the works were finished in time for the peak summer season meaning residents and tourists could continue to enjoy and use the slipway during the holidays. My thanks to everyone involved.”
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
