Eastbourne coast protection, 1991–2000

Following a series of storms in the late 1980s and in December 1991, Eastbourne's beaches were subjected to significant drawdown from which they failed to recover. Such was the cost and frequency of carrying out storm damage repairs and keeping up with the scale of destruction, that the coast protection authority, Eastbourne Borough Council, appointed Posford Duvivier to carry out investigations into the existing coast protection measures and to report on a strategy for their future management. This paper details the ensuing reports, site investigations, mathematical and physical modelling which led up to the design and construction of the chosen remedial measures.