Without a doubt the current problem surrounding the sea-damaged area of the Slapton Line, threatening the A379 and the surrounding area, are serious but perhaps not as complex as they might appear.

If the will is there to save the barrier and prevent the cost of rerouting the A379, then a defence system has to be found beyond that provided by crisis management following storm damage.

It must, of course, be a system which contains the soft shingle barrier, while not preventing the natural beach movement under storm conditions but protecting ‘pressure points’ along the line.

These pressure areas – outlined in a National Geological Survey of Start Bay in 1975 – clearly show weak spots coinciding closely with the present damaged areas.

This encouraging historical fact demonstrates that the threat of a breach in the Line is confined to predictable areas.

This being the case and with funds always at the basis of decision-making; it would seem that strengthening only these ‘pressure points’ could be a problem solver, as the rest of the Line would seem to be not at immediate risk.

With this in mind, do we have to look any further than our local defences that have proved so successful to find a system that works?

Torcross, with its sheet piling driven deep into the beach, demonstrates a system that answers this requirement and has stood the test of time.

The advantage of this method, if applied to the ‘pressure points’ of the Line; where no wave return support structure would be required, is that piling could be driven to ground level and simply concrete capped. Thus providing an effective steel defence to the weak areas.

This type of defence system is the least intrusive of any, provides no bulky profile to create groin effect or butt-end erosion and can be easily extended if and when required.

The absence of a wave return structure above the steel ensures minimum stress on the piling and allows any breaking seas to spill over the A379 into the freshwater area beyond. With the Ley water table at a higher level than the sea, excess water will drain to the beaches through the Torcross overspill tunnel.

With regard to any long-term effect on freshwater fish life, it is worth noting that, when seas overflowed into the Ley in the early 1980s, an underwater film project several years later recorded healthy fish numbers, so clearly a freshwater balance was restored.

All in all, it would appear that steel piling ticks the boxes for a reliable long term defence system for our area.

Time, of course, will tell and our engineers will decide – but soon please, for how much time do we have?

Laurie Emberson

Harefield Drive

Stoke Fleming