Wirral Council has claimed the “noisiest and most disruptive parts” of a controversial sea wall development are finished.
The West Kirby sea wall has proven to be highly controversial with people who have a business opposite saying the construction has risked its future.
This stage of the construction, involving the installation of 18 metre long metal tubes, has now finished, according to a Wirral Council update.
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The deadline for the scheme was recently pushed back by several months but Wirral Council said “the contractors, VolkerStevin, are making efforts to reduce this estimated completion date as much as possible.”
Colin Clayton, assistant director for Parks and Countryside, said: “Works on the next phase of the project is already under way at the Riversdale Road end of the promenade with new concrete works taking place there before the pre-cast wall units can begin to be installed later this month.
“This work will then continue to take place in distinct areas along South Parade and it is hoped that when work in one area is completed, that part of the promenade will be able to reopen fully to the public.”
The RNLI in West Kirby had been relocated due to the construction but Wirral Council confirmed they can return to their original site by the end of October.
As part of the wall project, the RNLI will have their existing gated entrance to the promenade widened to make it easier for them to launch and return to base in future. An unused, council-owned storage shed is being demolished so this can happen.
Original costs for the scheme were expected to be around £5.5m but this rose by £4m to nearly £10m, though the bulk of the costs don’t come from Wirral Council.
The reason for the scheme is that it could save more than 20 lives and protect more than 70 properties from flooding.
However many residents complained the new sea wall would harm the promenade with one petition getting more than 1,000 signatures.
Hannah Cleator, who manages the bistro Tanskeys opposite the construction, said: “We need some financial support as we are really going to struggle. I’m even considering closing temporarily until the work’s done. We’ve seen a drop of 80% throughout the summer.
“The roads are so congested that people are not bothering to make the trip to come to us.”
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