Plan for sea wall flood defence formally submitted

4 hours ago

Richard BakerIsle of Man

News image — If approved, the sea defence wall will stretch along Ramsey Port

Department of Infrastructure Artist sketch of the new sea defence wall. The road runs alongside the wall whilst on the opposite end, pedestrian and cycle lanes are seen. — If approved, the sea defence wall will stretch along Ramsey Port

Plans for a sea wall to protect about 400 properties in the north of the Isle of Man against flooding have been put forward for approval.

The 4.26ft (1.3m) high wall, along with a walkway for pedestrians and cyclists, would stretch along the port area of Ramsey, from Derby Road to East Quay.

The Department of Infrastructure (DoI) said the new defences would reduce the town's "vulnerability" to tidal flooding in light of rising sea levels and storm surges accelerated by climate change.

Although the plans would see the loss of 52 parking spaces along the quayside - something that caused concern in a previous application - the DOI said a survey had shown adequate parking elsewhere in the town.

The plans, which the department said could protect more than 400 properties in the event of a present day weather event, will now head to a consultation stage on 3 March.

After that, a committee will make a final decision on the planning application.

Manx Scenes Shot of Ramsey Port looking ahead to the The Ramsey Swing Bridge. — Ramsey Port has historically been a hotspot for tidal flooding

Under the plans, the movable gates along the sea wall would allow pedestrian and vehicle traffic to flow around the Ramsey Swing Bridge, which was reopened last year following renovation work.

Upgraded LED lighting, CCTV, improvements to the drainage systems, and provisions for electric vehicle and marine charging have also been included in the taxpayer-funded plans.

Previous plans to protect the town's homes and businesses from tidal flooding were shelved for several reasons, with concerns about the loss of port-side parking chief among them.

However, the DoI has stated that recent studies had shown Ramsey had "sufficient capacity" to absorb the removal of the parking spaces within the latest planning application, due to "improved signage and enforcement".

Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall MHK said the plans were "vital" to ensuring a "resilient Isle of Man".

If approved, work on the project would start from autumn 2027 with the works expected to take between 18 and 24 months.

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