DISTRICT councillors have agreed an extra £260,000 should be spent on a coastal protection scheme to protect a West Somerset public house in which one of their colleagues lives.

Emergency work was carried out two years ago on sea defences in Blue Anchor to prevent the Anchor’s Drop pub and the B3191 road falling into the sea.

Cllr Marcus Kravis, who represents the Old Cleeve and district ward, lives in the Anchor’s Drop, which is owned by his partner Cara Strom.

A £3.55 million coastal protection scheme was later agreed by the district council in partnership with Somerset County Council, to which Cllr Kravis was also elected in May.

On Tuesday (July 5), the district agreed to increase the scheme’s capital budget by £262,280.

Cllr Kravis made headlines recently when he was controversially granted retrospective planning permission by his district councillor colleagues for static caravans to remain on a site close to the pub which opened in 2018 without permission.

The coastal protection scheme is being fully-funded by the county council but will be carried out by the district authority, which has the responsibility for such work.

It is expected to start in the late autumn when 13,500 tons of granite rock armour will be delivered from the Glensanda Quarry (CORRECT), in western Scotland.

Three vessel loads will anchor off Blue Anchor and the rock will be transported to the beach by barge and off-loaded at high tide.

Kier Property Group, the main contractors for the scheme, will simultaneously carry out drainage works to stabilise the cliff above the armour.

Watchet and Williton Cllr Loretta Whetlor told Tuesday’s meeting she was pleased the work was finally going ahead.

Cllr Whetlor said: “If that road goes, there is no access to or from Watchet from the other side of Blue Anchor. It should have been done years ago but at least it is being done.”

Quantocks Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew said he had been involved in the project in the past and knew the problems it presented and was delighted it would now proceeding.

Cllr Benet Allen, from Minehead, said: “This is a road that does need to be protected. I hope it is going to be safe to cycle on as well.”