An award-winning £16million flood defence system has failed just months after first being installed.
West Kirby’s flood defence in Merseyside appeared to fail to block out water as waves flooded the surrounding roads.
Footage circulating on social media showed the water crashing against the newly formed West Kirby sea wall yesterday, later spilling over the top onto South Parade.
The flooding has raised questions about the controversial project.
West Kirby's flood defence has been criticised
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Liberal Democrat Cllr Stuart Kelly, who chairs Wirral’s planning committee that approved the wall, said: “There needs to be a full and frank investigation and explanation into why the very expensive sea defences at West Kirby failed so spectacularly today resulting in damage to businesses and property.
“Wirral Council and the Environment Agency have some explaining to do.”
Central West Kirby Conservative Councillors Andrew Gardner, Max Booth, and Tony Cox, who have long criticised the project, added: “It gives us no comfort to see the WK sea wall fail so spectacularly. We are in touch with WK residents and business offering support.”
The flood defence came in at around £10m over its initial budget and was completed last year.
Aecon’s West Kirby flood defence picked up the award for Best Landscape Project at the Merseyside Civic Design Awards.
The company was handed the award at the Arts Bar in Liverpool at the end of November.
Adjudicators said at the time: “As a flood defence scheme, the structure is required to fulfil some heavy-duty functions and in less imaginative hands could have been delivered as an uninspired piece of infrastructure that was more of a barrier to people than an asset to the waterfront.
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Footage circulating on social media showed water gushing over the barrier
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“Instead, the barrier forms attractive and playful seating along the promenade.
“Allowing people to rest regularly if tired, or just to enjoy the view and an ice cream, is a simple thing, but well executed here with interesting detailing that adds to the visual interest.
“A strong, witty, and appropriately joyful intervention at the water’s edge.”
Cllr Liz Grey, chair of Wirral's environment, climate emergency and transport committee, added: "Congratulations to AECOM for this award, which recognises the innovative way they designed the West Kirby flood wall scheme.
"Praise should also be extended to the wider project team, including council officers and, of course, Volkerstevin for their work on the construction.
Aecon’s West Kirky flood defence picked up the award for Best Landscape Project at the Merseyside Civic Design Awards
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"The ‘wave’ shape and other aspects of the final scheme, including materials and colour, were chosen as a result of direct involvement from local people in the consultation process, so they are also to be congratulated as their ideas ultimately provided the inspiration for the design."
However, the council’s leader Cllr Paul Stuart has since explained that the local authority went ahead with the project based on recommendations from the Environment Agency.
He claimed the wall was not designed to completely stop water coming over in severe storms as it would have needed to be far higher to do that.
The Environment Agency also funded £13.5m towards the project and was a major backer of the scheme.
Cllr Stuart added: “I think the council need to liaise with the Environment Agency to fully understand what failings there were from the design and how we are going to improve that going forward.”
However, Green Party co-leader Cllr Pat Cleary defended the project, arguing: “The wall isn’t there primarily to stop water. Its purpose is to remove energy from the waves.”
