What does Penzance need to do to get storm money from the government?!?

One hundred and fifteen days ago, or if you prefer 3 months and 26 days ago, Penzance was hit by ferocious storms culminating in the biggest one on St Valentine's day. Despite various promises at the time when the media spotlight was on the government, precious little has been done since in the forgotten west. In a stark contradiction to the prompt repairs in Aberystwyth. As many coastal communities, the Somerset levels and riverside properties feared for their homes and livelihoods it was boom times for the gentleman outfitters in the vicinity of Westminster with a big run on wellington boots. As members of all the Westminster parties were quick to turn and practice their concerned faces:

Here in Penzance millions of pounds worth of damage was caused, the prom was a mess, Newlyn Green was like a demolition site, the harbour wall had blocks missing, the rail line was flooded. As this video from the day after amply demonstrates (just some) of that destruction:



Credit to the emergency services, Cormac and Cornwall Council I often criticise the latter in their approach to Penzance. But they did a really good job of getting the road back open and making the area safe. Unfortunately precious little has happened since, despite government promises at the time that money was no object, Cameron's promise has had little effect on the ground. Despite the fact I wrote to the Prime Minister on the 23rd of February  asking when storm money would be spent in Penzance I never received a reply from David Cameron. I wasn't reallly expecting anything to come of it, but I was surprised when Penzance Town Council wrote to the government asking when promised storm damage monies and urging government to work with other bodies to build a breakwater but also received no answer.

So here we are the picture above was taken the other day. What does it say about Penzance, hardly inspiring for locals or visitors to be faced with that every day. But could things be different?

Yes it turns out, I came across this story the other day, with a commitment from the Welsh Assembly government to carry out works to Aberystwyth prom before easter. By the local authority (Ceredigion Council) and the national government working together to get this fixed as fast as possible releasing monies necessary, no heel dragging, blaming bureaucracy making everyone jump through long and convoluted bid processes. What a great example of devolved government being closer to the people, more in touch with local areas and working better with other authorities. What a refreshing story compared to central government who couldn't even be bothered to reply to letters let alone spend some of our taxes for the common good. I'd write to someone and complain but what would the point be?

Time to think hard about Penzance's sea defences

The news has been rife with damage and flooding to Penzance and other areaa in Mount's Bay, particularly Newlyn, Porthleven and other areas of West Cornwall.  Although it must be said that this is an extreme weather event, we need to consider the effect this is having on homes, businesses and people's lives. There is a great cost to this all and I think we need to weigh up how spending money on sea defences would save money in the long run.

Small wave hitting Penzance Prom at Wherrytown end pic.twitter.com/gE4uuna2SR
— Dick Straughan (@DickStraughan) February 5, 2014

In particular there is damage to Penzance Harbour and I think for the long term the time has come to seriously consider the benefits of an off shore breakwater. Preferable to rock armour as it would dissipate the force of the sea further out. The problem with rock armour is that it could only be built so high and then waves above that height still impact with full force into the quay (or more properly quays). Is it significant that sections of the South Pier damaged in the storms are already dressed with rock armour?...

As the Royal Haskoning identified even full rock armour doesn't allow for continuous operation of the harbour unlike a breakwater which would. Further to quote:

"It is not, therefore, considered that the structural integrity of the harbour wall will be significantly improved by the construction of rock armour." 

 Although the costs of this would be considerable, what would the cost be of the pieces of the harbour being smashed off like happened in Lamorna over night. The cheaper option of rock armour has been proposed a few times for Penzance, but in the long term it doesn't seem cost effective. Especially when we consider the limited protection it offers and the fact it makes maintenance of the existing structures, shall we say difficult? Or is the right word expensive?

In the short term, the Royal Haskoning report identified significant works that needed to be done in the harbour. Despite this being from a survey in January last year and their report being published in March 2013 this as far as I am aware has not happened. The findings were that urgent work was needed. Masonry was missing, areas needed repointing, staples holding blocks together were rusted and needed replacing and worryingly that there were voids. Also that there was evidence Lighthouse Pier was subsiding and moving away from the adjoining South Pier. These are all the kinds of things that need to be kept on top of. It is troubling that it takes an external consultants to come to a harbour owned by Cornwall Council to point out the need for this work.

The vital harbour aside, perhaps we need to consider also protection of the wider seafront. There is major damage to sections of the prom from the recent storm. It is clear large sections will have to be rebuilt. Again what is the cost? Also the wider costs of houses flooding at the bottom of Morrab Road and the disruption of the road along the prom closing and not for the first time this month. Perhaps in the future it might be better to construct the surface of the promenade with more durable materials, particularly the tiles near the Wherrytown end.  Unfortunately there are not studies and various pushes in the past to protect the prom area from the sea. Work is needed in this regard.

I know it's a tough call in these times when the government is reining in spending. But we need to look to the future and what the cost of our actions will be to the next generation. The time has come to think big, to realise that in the long terms spending now will save money in the future and will protect us.