Birse and the Environment Agency Complaint
Below is a timeline of our ongoing complaint to Birse (Balfour Beatty), The Environment Agency and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council regarding tonnes of building material buried and left on Redcar beach following the Coastal Defence Flood Alleviation Project.
To read in sequence scroll right down to the bottom of this page.
Enjoy.
Dear all,
The rewards of our joint contributions have made to our beach. (FRED volunteers, RCBC and Environment agency)
These two contrasting images (below) have had an online viewing figures upwards of 30,000+
We're looking forward to February 2015 when the EA and RCBC rejoin FRED on the beach for another clean up to ensure next Summer, Redcar has one of the cleanest, safest and best kept beaches in the country.
Cheers
Cheers
Environmental Agency commit to Redcar Beach Clean Up July 2014
GREAT NEWS TODAY. We have had confirmation from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) that the Environmental Agency (EA) are going to do an industrial clean up of the areas of Redcar beach that FRED (Friends of Redcar) has highlighted as being full of building materials both exposed and buried.
The EA have committed to three full days on the 15th, 16th and 17th July and will bring digging equipment and a crew of around 10 workers.
We'd like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have helped us campaign, who have shared our messages and who have pulled the strings to bring common sense to this issue.
Redcar is turning a corner and FRED are working with the council to improve our prospects as a tourism hotspot with events, activities, exposure of issues and fresh ideas.
Here is our message of thanks and an invitation to join us and RCBC on the beach on the 13th July (TBA)
FREDs Redcar Beach inspection 9th April 2014 - Complaint part 7
FRED have been back on Redcar beach examining the building debris with the Environment Agency (EA), Birse (now Balfour Beatty) and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC).
The rubble and materials left over along Coatham and Zetland from the Coastal Defence project is a real eyesore and a hindrance to Redcar's tourism, residents, businesses, visitors and event organisers.
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| Coatham |
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| Zetland |
To progress the complaint, FRED met officials on the 9th April to find a way forward. Carl Quartermain and Angela Garbutt of FRED showed Alan Cadas and James Mead of the EA, Simon Kirtlan of Birse and Stuart Ainsley of RCBC the extent of the problem with a beach walk that stretched from the TunedIn building in Coatham to The Stray in Zetland.
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Redcar Beach has so much potential. It's tough sand is ideal for numerous events. Long panoramic shots look great but don't reveal areas unbecoming of a vibrant and forward thinking seaside town.
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FRED believes there is a total lack of care and a 'degeneration' to the beach area that's been going on for years but incredibly has been exasperated following the 'regeneration' work.
Carl Quartermain, FRED Chairman said, "The main point we wanted to demonstrate was that the problem isn't down to tidal drift or the consequences of years of development. Much of the rubble is left over from the breakup of the previous seafront as well as materials Birse used to build the new one. Many pieces are far too large to have just floated here in any case.
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During preparation for the Atonement movie there was a clear beach. Bottom Left of this picture is a slipway that has subsequently been broken up. Many remnants of this, as well as the previous defence, seafront paving and brickwork from Coatham to Zetland remain on the beach.
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"If what we are looking at is tidal drift or from decades of development then it shouldn't discriminate from distributing itself in the only section that is clear of this problem along the new defences - the commercial area along the Esplanade.
"Before the breakup of the previous defences and the Turner Street slipway, the East side of the Regent Cinema was rubble free. Today it resembles a building site."What we have is a stockpile of rubble, bricks, felt, building sand and building fabrics from the bandstand next to the boating lake all the way around the Regent and up to the Beacon.
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| Redcar beach is dogged by this fabric which shows up at Coatham and Zetland and is often half buried and impossible to shift by hand |
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Redcar Beach when LEO's was where the Beacon stands today families would set up wind breakers and bathe around this point. Today unless they want to be sat amongst building rubble and fabrication they just wouldn't bother.
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"When LEO's was where the Beacon stands today families would set up wind breakers and bathe there. Today, this isn't comfortably possible.
"Before the work, families could typically bathe anywhere along the coastline right up to The Stray. Unless you don't mind sitting on the stepped defences in your shoes looking out on broken bricks and concrete, it'snow only possible at two points; Majuba (where incidentally no regeneration work took place) and of course the Esplanade, commercial area.
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Inexplicably clear of the rubble that is
found either side of this commercial area
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"This clear sand area remains until the Zetland museum area. Then another trail of building materials begins which continues onto The Stray where regeneration work also took place. The Zetland area can only be described as a landfill.
"During the inspection Birse vowed to provide a couple of workmen and spend a couple of days with FRED on the beach. However they have stated they will not bring mechanical diggers.
"We appreciate all the help we can get but made it quite clear that this wouldn't even scratch the surface." Carl said.
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Building felts are found all over along with buried concrete and bags of building sand
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"Our own efforts have removed around 40 tonnes of material and we're nowhere near shifting it. We've determined that land clearance for the beach using heavy machinery would cost between £700 and £1000 per day and would be required on at least eight sections of beach and possible take up to two weeks.
"We have asked The RCBC, the EA and Birse to help us find a solid solution and suggested providing FRED the funding to order the clean up ourselves.
"To be honest they all appear to be at a loss as to what to do, in relation to any real clean-up operation following the celebrated and extensive Flood Alleviation work they've done.
"To be honest they all appear to be at a loss as to what to do, in relation to any real clean-up operation following the celebrated and extensive Flood Alleviation work they've done.
"On the face of it both the RCBC and EA are seemingly allowing Birse who are advertised as a responsible contractor, to leave Redcar having buried all manner of building materials along the coastline from Coatham to Zetland. Why?
"Because following the £30 million+ regeneration of the seafront, cleaning the beach afterwards and truly realising Redcar's potential as a tourism hotspot was overlooked, unplanned for and subsequently buried along with the masonry - to Redcar's detriment and shame."
Invitation for Friends of Redcar to inspect beach with the Environment Agency published 03/04/2014
Friends of Redcar FRED has been invited to meet up on the 9th April to inspect the beach again with the Environment Agency a view to clear this mess once and for all.
As you know we've had an ongoing complaint about the building materials on our beach following the work carried out by Birse.
Our goal is simple we want a clean beach and we would like Birse (now Balfour Beatty) to bring diggers, skips and crews to come and clear it up.
As always we'll keep you posted. If anyone would like to join us to voice their opinion please let us know and we'll give you the details.
Dear Carl
Further to recent correspondence the site management team is making a return visit to Redcar on Wednesday 9th April to review follow up works to the project. We will look then to programme in the beach clearance visit shortly after.
I hope that we can meet at some time during that day, we can be flexible on time. If you could get back to me if that is convenient and keep Alan copied in.
Thanks and regards
James
James Mead
Project Manager
Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme
Our beach, Our town, Our Home - Redcar
Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.Six published 26/03/2014
Below is our latest reply and images sent to the Environment Agency regarding our Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint and Alan Cadas very swift and welcome reply.
"Dear Mr. Cadas,
Thank you for your reply.
We very much appreciate your response to our complaint and grievances. This will be discussed at our next open meeting next Tuesday.
We are also thankful that you will ensure we are contacted in plenty of time to enable us to work together with RCBC, EA and Birse to reach a solution to rid our beach of the incredible amount of debris left behind.
With respect, we have always accepted that there had been masonry on the beach along the promenade previous to your work being carried out. However this was sporadic and a minor issue along the sea defences. We'd agree that the old defences required repair and updating and had had previous touch ups.
However, having used the beach for many years and spending summers down there with my children (barefooted), as well as jogging across the beach on a weekly basis, I can advise you that prior to your work the old sea defences were not as suggested in your picture. The image portrayed was not observed by anyone we've spoken to including fishermen, RNLI employees, beachcombers or residents who walk their dogs on a daily basis prior to your work beginning. I was certainly on the beach in the months before work commenced and my experience and memory is the same.
Secondly this image is isolated in an area near the Park Hotel where the issue is not such a concern. I want to show you some images that reveal that 1. We're not just talking about brick and concrete - there is building felts and fabrics, buried bags of set concrete, buried bags of building sand, iron rods etc and 2. Much of the masonry is not just from the break up of the old defences but is new as it has nylons for strength (not used in the previous decades).
If you ever get the opportunity to come to Redcar we would welcome you to join us and view the damaging effect our beach has been left to bear. We are certain that you would recognise that the clean up operation was wholly inadequate and that much of the material belongs to Birse as well as what was broken up by them.
Between our group and the RCBC alone we must have already cleared coming on 40 tonnes between us. This doesn't include what Birse managed to do in their own 'sweeps'. This in itself should suggest to you that the clean up effort was not good enough. Our beach is still littered with so much of this material that parts of our beach along the defences is dangerous and unusable. It is far too much a burden for our small group to manage without heavy gear, diggers and tools."
"Dear Carl
Thank you for your reply.
I will try to come to Redcar for the walkover with Birse and Redcar and Cleveland Council so we can meet and discuss further. James - can you include me in the invite please.
If I am not available for that date I will arrange a separate visit.
The erosion in the photo I sent was repaired as emergency works by the council very shortly after it happened which might explain why not many people witnessed it.
Hope to meet soon. In the meantime please contact me again if you need anything further.
Regards
Alan"
Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.Five published 20/03/2014
With respect to our continued plea to get diggers and tools to shift the mess our beach is in we have had a follow up from Environment Agency (joint project managers). I shall post our response soon.
“Dear Carl
Thank you for your email of 3rd March 2014 regarding your concerns over the condition of Redcar beach following the completion of the sea defence works. This has been passed to me to investigate in line with our complaints procedure. I would like to provide you with an update on current plans to assist in remedying some of your concerns and hopefully clarify our position on ongoing responsibility.
As you will hopefully have been informed already your Freedom of Information request for contractual information will be dealt with separately.
Firstly I am sorry you were not informed of the date of Birse’s October revisit to the beach to carry out further cleanup works. This was purely an oversight, and James Mead, the project manager for the scheme, will ensure that you are informed of the date of the return visit in good time. Before we fix the date, we will be carrying out a join site walkover with Redcar & Cleveland Council and would be happy to meet with you to discuss your concerns on this date. I can confirm that we still intend to arrange the clean up visit for April or May this year, weather and other works permitting, but it will certainly be before the summer. If you would like to discuss this with James he can be contacted by email at james.mead@environment-agency.gov.uk or by telephone on 01138196250.
I have looked a bit further into the source of the materials on the beach. I know from my involvement in the scheme that the revetment along the whole of the sea front was in a really poor condition. This was one of the main reasons that the scheme was constructed. Because of the poor condition, there were a number of failures in localised places which required emergency works. One of these failures happened just a few months before the scheme started on site, and the photograph below shows the extent of the failure. If you look carefully you can see that the hole goes right underneath the footpath, so a lot of material will have eroded as a result. You can also see patches of concrete next to the hole which shows where other repairs have been carried out, and similar repairs were carried out along the length of the promenade. This series of failures will have caused debris to have been spread across the beach, and may explain why there is unweathered debris present on the beach.
I am also confident in our contractor’s methods. We employed our own site supervision staff during the construction phase to ensure that this was the case. The sea defence elements of the works were completed in November 2012 and Birse carried out a number of sweeps of the beach between this time and the completion of the whole project in June 2013. Combined with the October 2013 revisit and further visit this spring we are satisfied that the beach cleanup carried out is thorough and is certainly beyond that contractually required and envisaged. I must conclude therefore that a substantial quantity of the rubble left on the beach must have arisen from the previous damage to the revetment, and that the contractor’s efforts have more than made up for any material which might have escaped as a result of the works.
I do however greatly applaud your efforts and desire to see the beach at Redcar kept in good condition. I would therefore like to offer the support of some of my workforce to join Birse when they carry out the spring sweep of the beach.
This project has been delivered in partnership with Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and not, as you suggest, solely led by the Environment Agency. As an integral part of this relationship, it was agreed that the responsibility for ongoing maintenance of the defences and surrounding area would remain with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. I know that everyone would want to see the seafront maintained well following such major investment and a suggestion of increased investment was raised, by the project team, with Redcar & Cleveland’s Neighbourhoods team at numerous points through project development and construction. Any queries about the future maintenance of the beach and surrounding area therefore will need to be directed to that team.
Please contact me again if you would like any further information."
We have replied and will be adding this to our Streetclub. It is free and easy to join.
Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.Four published 14/03/2014
Following our winter hibernation we have jumped back on the horse and are galloping through to advise you of how Redcar beach is doing. It's not doing well to be honest.
Redcar beach resembles a hideous building site along the Coastal Defences following the work carried out by Birse. It is laden with rubble, masonry, building felt, scaffolding parts, bricks, iron rods and that’s before we get to the litter issue. And it’s here to stay unless you act now.
It’s important that we as a small community pursue continued assistance and support by the contractor to remove this problem before the final contract between Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC), The Environment Agency (EA) and Birse (now Balfour Beatty) is signed off.
As a community group, Friends of Redcar (FRED) doesn’t believe the contractor is being pushed hard enough by RCBC to pick up its responsibility to the clean up and that the quality of the contractors work as a responsible and considerate construction company is questionable. If we allow this to go unchecked they will shortly be able to leave us with a beach that harms our enjoyment of our major asset, is unsafe for our kids and diminishes our flailing tourism economy even more so.
We are passionate about our beach. We want to take our children there and feel confident that they are safe in bare feet. We want to sit and have picnics and eat ice creams on the sand while enjoying our surroundings. We want to build sandcastles without fear of what we might dig up. We want to lay out our towels and sunbathe in a relaxed and popular setting. We want tourists to come in and spend their money in our town and cafés and to want to come back.
We are disgusted that our beach has been left like this. We have requested that the Final Contract with Birse (Balfour Beatty) should not be signed off until they commit to clearing the beach of their broken masonry, cement sacks and building materials that was buried there and has been revealed by dissipating sand and tides.
Last year we did indeed get the contractor to come back and they hand-picked some of this masonry up. It is nowhere near enough. We need heavy equipment down here and we need them to do it now before another summer is lost. We were assured last year that they would return. As yet we haven’t had a response to let us know if this will happen or when, so we can make arrangements to assist and observe.
With the lack of information coming from Birse, the Environment Agency and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council regarding our call for Birse to help with cleaning up and because of the overwhelming amount of building material that's been uncovered over the winter we've decided to push forward our complaint to the EA and follow the official avenues.
“Dear Sir,
Following on from our initial complaint regarding our beach and having had contact with James Mead the Project Manager for the Environment Agency (EA) we would like to pursue our complaint further.
We appreciate that the EA, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) and Birse answered our call to agree to an inspection in October 2013. Following on from that inspection, Birse through Simon Kirtlan, did carry out an initial sweep of the beach as a side issue to their intended reason for being in Redcar - namely the positioning of the seafront sculpture art. We thank them for this even though we had requested to be kept informed when they were coming so that we could join in and observe but were not.
We also look forward to greeting them again in April or May to carry out another sweep AND even though we have not received any details following our requests to be kept informed (so we can build an event around it and observe, advise and assist) AND even though we are left to assume this will be another side issue to why Birse are expected to be in Redcar AND even though we again have no knowledge as to the extent of work they intend to do - we thank them.
To this end though we truly feel marginalised and discounted at the operation level of the Coastal Defence project and as residents who volunteer our free time to remove the vast amounts of building materials left behind by Birse, we are not satisfied
- at the efforts to clean up our beach of the remains of the overwhelming evidence against Birse's regarding buried building material and masonry and therefore their commitment to behaving as a considerate constructor.
- with the lack of information from the EA regarding the intention to manage a clean up as the Project Leader.
- that we have had no official report from the EA following the October inspection and therefore no clear intent of how you will deal with our complaint in order that we can consider our future actions.
I'd also like to draw attention to a comment made during October's inspection, towards our problem by the Environment Agency in that "it isn't an environmental problem". In that case why are the Environment Agency solely given management over building projects in a built up area that relies on tourism? If the attitude is, it doesn't matter that the beach is left as a rubble land fill then who manages that side of the project?
We recently wrote requesting all public details of the contract between the EA, RCBC and Birse. Regarding the Flood Alleviation Project and any additional contracts for projects associated with it and any details regarding tthe intended final sign off we would exercise our right as set out in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Part One and look forward to receiving this information along with any dated amendments. Please can we have an assurance that we receive this in a timely fashion and advise accordingly.
We are also pursuing our complaint through the RCBC, Birse and all associated professional and quality bodies.
Thank you and we look forward to hearing back from you.”
We've had a response and have added this to our Streetclub . Joining is free and simple. We will post the response here too at a later date.
We have compiled a blog with links to key persons who can be made aware and an example letter to help you complain with us.
http://friendsofredcar.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/dear-friends-of-redcar.html
Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.Three published 27/09/2013
Hi all,
Over the past few days I have been bringing you up to speed with our complaint regarding the brick and rubble on our beach in Redcar. For consistency please follow the links back to the original thread. (See Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.One and Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.Two)
The letter below is our reply to an Environmental Agency that doesn't feel they have any responsibility to the building debris left on our beach. Above and below are the new photos sent to accompany this email.
Enjoy.
Dear Gemma,
Thank you for your assistance in bringing us a reply to our complaint. Thank you also to Mr. James Mead the Project Manager for his reply and courteous invitation to inspect the beach area with the contractor next month. We (Friends of Redcar) would accept this offer to make our case. Thank you also for the distance photo shot of Granville Terrace that does indeed appear to show red brick on the left although difficult to make out anything more.
We, wholeheartedly disagree with Mr. Mead that the materials left over has "nothing to do with our works" and cannot agree that they "ensured that the material dug up from under the beach was removed" - certainly not thoroughly enough as described.
We would concede that naturally over the many years and developments/demolitions,
- Much of the building debris remaining is not weathered or shaped (rounded) as would be expected from material that had been left to the elements for years.
- This is clean looking rubble and very similar in appearance along the entire stretch. We have seen "old" rubble too but not as much.
- The sheer weight of some of this debris would not suggest it had just washed in recently along the whole length of the defences after the builders departed and without being noticed. In such case there would surely be evidence of scattered debris all over the beach too. There is debris further out but is isolated to one particular area which is rocky.
By Mr. Mead's admission they did a "thorough" clean up and "ensured the material dug up from under the beach was removed". So are we therefore to assume that the jagged, clean masonry running the length of the new coastal defences, that we're speaking of, is "material washing in and out"? Well not necessarily because we are provided that picture of Granville Terrace which shows "a number of bricks" of which the contractor "cannot accept responsibility". So this is confusing. Is this new material washed up or old material already there? According to Mr. Mead both, but no way has anything to do with the construction work or the "thorough" clean up.
The "thorough" clean up Mr. Mead describes seems to therefore discriminate against any previous masonry that was found. That during their "thorough" clean up, the contractor carefully manoeuvred passed or turned a blind eye to the bricks and rubble already there, carefully examining what was theirs and what was not their "responsibility". Ensuring that they only cleared away their own mess. How "thorough" does that clean up sound?
Personally, I used to fit bathrooms and kitchens. When I finished I would clean up and hose down outside removing all rubbish and debris. Inside I would wipe everything down, polish it up and vacuum up and down the stairs. I would insist. And yes that would include mess I never made. Why? Because I took pride in my work and wanted to impress my customer. It was the professional and conscientious thing to do. And very much appreciated.
We disagree with and disapprove of Mr. Mead's response of what has been left and that he feels no responsibility. We are convinced that not only did the contractor leave the "nothing to do with our works" but also added to it. Perhaps our beach doesn't matter to the contractor or the pride they take with their clean up, but it does to the people of Redcar and to our tourism.
Furthermore we're not sure why a clean up would come from "public money" and not from the contractor's purse? With respect who is Mr. Mead to speak for the public by suggesting that this is not an efficient use of money? Ask the people of Redcar and indeed any coastal town if they'd like a clean beach and we can assure you the answer would be in the affirmative. Two JCBs, three employees, our volunteers, three to five large skips and a days work to polish off a great job, is hardly going to scratch the £30 million project.
We have just had our first summer with these fabulous new sea defence in place and yet the number of complaints received about the beach resembling a building site far outweighs the complimentary comments about the work. Was that the contractor's intended legacy and public opinion?
I have attached two more photos. The bricks and rubble displayed do not appear to be weathered from decades in the sea and were found beside the new defences. We are positive that these pieces along with the 4.5 tons our volunteers have already cleared along the defences since August this year, were left after the contractor finished working there. There simply is no other explanation and to deny this is insulting.
We look forward to going along to inspect the area when a date is set and having extra help to remove the remaining debris.
Once again thank you Gemma,
Yours respectfully,
Carl Quartermain
Chairman of a Friends of Redcar and on behalf of all our beach users.
If you would like to contact the Environmental Agency or the contractor to make your own point here are their details below. If you require the contact details of any of the Redcar Officials please let us know and we'll happily forward them. Thanks
Tel: 0191 203 4105 (Internal 728 4105)
Fax: 0191 203 4004
Environment Agency
Tyneside House
Skinnerburn Road
Newcastle Business Park
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 7AR
2200 Century Way
Thorpe Park
Leeds
LS15 8ZB
Tel: +44 (0) 113 821 3400
Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.Two published 25/09/2013
Hi all,
Following on from our original complaint (See Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.One) Below is an email we received on the 23rd September 2013 from the Environmental Agency. Mr James Mead is the project manager for the Environmental Agency who oversees the contractor's work. Above is the picture sent with this email to display that bricks were already on the beach prior to work commencing. I have replied and will show this in a new blog (Part.Three) shortly. Enjoy
Dear Carl
Thank you for your enquiry, received in this office on 12 September 2013. I have consulted James Mead who was the Project Manager for the scheme. James has made the following comments
"We are confident in our contractor that they were very thorough in cleaning up during and after the sea defence works along Redcar Sea front. Further inspections were carried out as areas of work were completed to ensure no materials were left over from our works and we ensured that the material dug up from under the beach was removed and the sand placed back where we had been.
We cannot accept responsibility for materials that are nothing to do with our works, I attached a photograph of Granville Terrace before we started work which shows the stones and shingle at the top of the beach with a number of bricks visible amongst them. The photographs taken recently do not look dissimilar to this. This we would suggest is as a result of many years of materials washing in and off the seafront and not as a result of our recent works. Re-mobilising our contractor to carry out such a beach clearance for the small quantities of materials highlighted does not seem like an efficient use of public money.
That said we are happy to check the beach once again, when we return to site next month to install the second sculpture, to satisfy all parties that we haven’t missed anything. We would be happy for you and representatives from the council to join us on such an inspection. We will be in touch when our contractor has confirmed the timing of this visit."
I attach a copy of our "Notice" which sets out the various uses to which Environment Agency information and data can be put.
If you require any further assistance on this or any other environmental matter please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards
Gemma Alecks
Customers and Engagement Officer
So what do you think? If you would like to contact the Environmental Agency regarding this matter or have any other concerns below are their contact details.
Tel: 0191 203 4105 (Internal 728 4105)
Fax: 0191 203 4004
Email: gemma.alecks@environment-agency.gov.uk
Environment Agency
Tyneside House
Skinnerburn Road
Newcastle Business Park
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 7AR
Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part.One published 12/09/2013
Hi all,
To keep everyone up to speed with our Beach Action Group complaint regarding building debris on the beach and our endeavour to bring the contractor (Balfour Beatty - Birse Civil) back to clear up the rubble, below is the initial email, links and photos sent to the Environmental Agency and Birse Civil.
We have received replies from the Environmental agency (See Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Complaint Part Two) but sadly not a single reply from any of the Redcar officials copied into this post.
We believe our beach is worth investment as part of a process to attract visitors and holiday makers onto the beach (in their swimming costumes!) and to change the perceptions that prevents Redcar becoming a viable holiday resort like Scarborough and Whitby.
Enjoy and look out for the updates
Dear Sir/Madams,
I represent a community action group in Redcar called "Friends of Redcar" (FOR) and am writing this email on behalf of our committee, residents and visitors of Redcar.
For transparency I have copied into this post; Balfour Beatty (Birse Civil); the FOR committee; Zetland and Coatham councillors and neighbourhood teams; Ian Swales - MP for Redcar, George Dunning - Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough council (RCBC) and Vic Jeffries - Mayor. (*Please can you assist us by forwarding this email to any relevant department/persons and/or replying with appropriate advice, protocols and actions.)
We were advised to contact the Environment Agency due to our concerns over the amount of building debris remaining on our beach following the Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme Spring 2012. We are hopeful that the Environment Agency can clearly steer us towards the correct course of action.
I have also sent a copy of this email to:-
Birse Civil Head Office 2200 Century Way, Thorpe Park, Leeds LS15 8ZB
We would draw your attention to the following links in support of our concern. I have also attached some photographs.
It is our belief that we have building debris all along our coastline because the beach was not cleaned up thoroughly after the coastal defence work was completed. We believe the responsibility for carrying out a thorough clean up of the beach area, all along the new coastal defences and in part further out where large pieces of rubble have been found, lies with Balfour Beatty (Birse Civil) who carried out the work, along with any inspection team who signed the work off (if indeed it has been signed off.)
We have been advised by RCBC that they are, or will be, in contact with Birse Civil (Tel: +44 (0) 113 821 3400) to get action and will keep our group informed of developments. Representatives from our group will gladly assist in highlighting and removing these unsightly and often dangerous reminders of our old defences.
We very much look forward to receiving your response and to find a way forward so that as a group we can concentrate our efforts on lifting litter off our beach and not masonry. Thank you.
Best regards,
Carl Quartermain
Co-Founder and Chairman of Friends of Redcar on behalf of all our beach users.
If you would like to add your own comments for the Environmental Agency office in Newcastle and Balfour Beatty Birse Civil office - here are their contact details. Please do let us know how that communication goes.
Email: Gemma Alecks Customers and Engagement Officer
Mr. James Mead (Project Manager)
0191 203 4105
Mr. James Mead (Project Manager)
0191 203 4105
northeast-newcastle@environment-agency.gov.uk
2200 Century Way
Thorpe Park
Leeds
LS15 8ZB
Tel: +44 (0) 113 821 3400
If you require the contact details of any of the Redcar Officials please let us know and we'll happily forward them. Thanks
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