The coastal village of Torcross in South Devon is confronting an "existential" threat from the sea, with residents fearing for their homes and livelihoods if a critical £20 million sea defense scheme is not completed before the next winter storms arrive. Brutal storms last winter caused significant damage to properties and businesses, including the complete washing away of the A379 coastal road that links the village to the outside world.
The closure of the A379 between Torcross and Slapton has effectively cut off the village from nearby Dartmouth, forcing detours that can add up to 45 minutes or more to travel times. While the Environment Agency (EA) has allocated £20 million for the construction of new sea defenses, known as 'rock armour,' the project faces a race against time. Locals emphasize the urgency, concerned that further damage or even the loss of the entire village could occur if defenses are not in place.
Last winter's storms, including Storm Imogen in February, battered the existing sea defenses with waves reaching 12 feet and winds of 60 mph. This resulted in widespread damage, with some businesses, like The Start Bay Inn, experiencing flooding, and several neighboring houses also suffering damage. The collapse of the road was a major blow, impacting transport links for Torcross and surrounding communities and businesses.
Work is set to begin later this summer to position approximately 55,000 tonnes of rock in front of the existing defenses. This improvement scheme, costing £19.8 million, is intended to "buy the community some time," according to the EA. The construction involves placing rocks, ranging from one to three tonnes, along the shoreline. The process will see rocks delivered by barges at high tide between September and November, then excavated at low tide and stockpiled. Larger rocks will form a temporary protective line. Specific works include rock revetment installation in October and piling at the slipway and car park defenses, with completion of all construction phases anticipated by June 2027.
However, the allocated funds are specifically for the sea defenses and do not cover the repair of the collapsed A379 road, for which separate government funding is being sought. This has left some residents anxious, as Gail Stubbs, landlady of The Start Bay Inn, noted the importance of protecting the village buildings while still hoping for a solution to the road access. "We have to protect the buildings themselves and then hope that something can be done about the road if possible," Stubbs said.
Residents like Alison Willcock, owner of The Billy Can, described the storms as "horrendous" and "terrifying," recounting nights spent with constant fear due to waves hitting the sea wall and vibrating through their homes. The uncertainty surrounding funding for the defenses had caused considerable anxiety, making the grant a source of "total jubilation" for the village, though the relief is tempered by the ongoing race against time.
George Arnison, the Environment Agency's coastal engineer, highlighted the event as a "wake up call" for climate change impacts, noting that Torcross was "very unlucky" and similar risks exist along other coastlines. He acknowledged that while the scheme is "value for money," it is not a permanent solution, indicating the ongoing challenge of coastal erosion and protection.