WORK to strengthen sea defences in Minehead has been completed with 4,000 tonnes of pink granite rock armour put in place at The Warren over the past few weeks.

The £1 million Environment Agency scheme has extended existing rock armour across 110 yards of vulnerable shingle ridge near Butlin’s holiday resort and the Minehead golf club course.

The agency said the work was needed because of ongoing erosion risks worsened by climate change which was undermining a £3.7 million protection scheme installed little more than two years ago.

The upgraded coastal flood defence scheme delivers greater protection for 355 properties and businesses in the town and is expected to slow the deterioration of the defences for the next 15 years.

The agency said the project was delivered on time ahead of the summer season and on budget after work started in the spring.

The granite rock armour was sourced from near Bodmin, Cornwall, and transported by road, requiring about 250 lorry movements during the construction period.

An agency spokesperson said it was necessary because a natural shingle ridge protecting Minehead’s eastern esplanade was proving vulnerable to erosion from winter storms.

Rock armour had previously been used to reinforce it, but parts of the town were particularly at risk during north-westerly storms and high tides.

The reinforcement scheme follows the successful completion of coastal defence works in 2023, when 14,500 tonnes of granite rock armour reinforced Minehead’s sea wall.

Erosion to the sand face at the end of the existing rock armour section made this next phase necessary.

The works will also indirectly help to reduce the impact of flash flooding in the area.

The West Somerset Coast Path, part of the King Charles III England Coast Path connecting Minehead and Dunster, has now been reopened following completion of the works, securing access for walkers and visitors long into the future.

Walkers had been diverted via Dunster Marshes and Alcombe during the footpath closure.

The town already benefits from an extensive coastal defence scheme maintained by the Environment Agency, including vital annual maintenance such as beach reprofiling.

Environment Agency flood mapping shows that the risk of coastal flooding is expected to increase due to climate change, making continued investment essential.

The agency’s Bert Leach said: “I am delighted that we have been able to deliver this project on time and on budget.

“We are confident these defences will keep Minehead protected well into the future.

“We are grateful to everybody for their patience and support during construction.”

Minehead Town Council clerk Ben Parker said: “This is a fantastic outcome for Minehead.

“The response from our community has been overwhelmingly positive.

“These defences give residents and businesses real confidence that Minehead is well protected against coastal flooding, both now and in the years ahead.”

Mr Leach said the Environment Agency would continue to carry out annual maintenance, including beach reprofiling, to ensure Minehead’s coastal defences remained in good condition.

The Government created the Environment Agency in 1996 with a remit to protect and improve the environment.