Part of a harbourside car park and access to a pier could be lost in the future unless action is taken to address failing coastal defences.
Work is needed to address the situation at Lake Pier in Hamworthy.
BCP Council’s flood and coastal erosion risk management team has submitted an application to the local authority’s planning department to replace the gabion fortifications and carry out improvements to access the nearby beach.
A statement submitted in support of the application said the project involved replacing the existing defences with a rock armour wall to protect the pierhead and car park.
At present there is a 48-metre stretch of gabion baskets – cages containing rocks – which is in a “failed state”.
Many of the baskets have broken open with stones missing, while others are deformed through displacement and settlement into the water bed.
The statement says: “There is evidence that the gabions have been in a failed state for a long period of time, with numerous previous repairs evident.
“Over time, the gabion basket failure has led to the embankment behind, slipping and eroding, with longitudinal tension cracks in the car park tarmac caused by this loss of supporting material.”
It added: “Without intervention there will be continued failure of the gabions and slope behind, leading to a loss of the car park edge and in time, the access point to the Pier structure.
“The gabion baskets would also require numerous visits to make safe or remove with their continued failure. This would lead to a reduction in parking spaces and is not a ‘no-cost’ option.”
Officers are also planning to improve the existing narrow tarmac/earth pathway from the car park to Lake Beach, which is furthest west from the pier.
Lake Pier was built in 1939 to service and refuel a flying boat service in Poole Harbour. There was initially a medium risk following a check for unexploded ordnance as the area was a target for the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.
However, the council statement says a further assessment indicated the risk is low.
Residents have until April 22 to submit comments on the application on BCP Council’s Poole planning portal.
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