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Council is ignoring advice of an expert
WITH regards to the council’s decision to proceed with dumping of rock armour in front of the Grade II* listed Spa buildings, our concern is that this is yet another catastrophe for the town and its tourist industry.
When first mooted, we were appalled, as are many people in Scarborough, at this disaster.
My dismay comes from previous experience of misguided Council decisions such as pumping raw untreated sewage into our bays when the world’s leading scientists categorically stated that it would increase disease levels in both humans and marine life. The decision to build a sewage plant on the Marine Drive, which was passed without question by the Council, left us with no alternative but to consult a leading geologist, Dr John Dunlevey, who had produced a thesis on Scarborough’s cliffs that concluded that this would prejudice the stability of the Castle headland!
Then we have an unbelievable decision to build a sewage plant that was next door to a residential area adjacent to a beautiful golf course and in the middle of one of Scarborough’s scenic bays. This against the eminent advice of the late Captain Sydney Smith MBE, a leading tidal expert who had recommended Cowlam Hole, well away from any tourism or leisure sites.
To compound all these inept decisions, the council on announcing the positioning of the rock armour, emphasised that this was to prevent a similar disaster that befell the Holbeck Hall Hotel in 1993. This had absolutely nothing to do with coastal erosion by the sea or sea defences. It was simply the failure of drainage in the area.
I attended the recent scrutiny committee meeting at the Town Hall which failed to cover the vital circumstances of this situation. No credit was given to the Victorian engineers whose wall has protected The Spa for 140 years. The entire focus of this project should be that of the proper drainage and stabilisation of the cliffs.
The Sons Of Neptune have always consulted the world’s leading scientists and engineers in these matters. Dr Bruce Denness is a former professor of Ocean Engineering and a leading consultant in land stability who has been engaged by governments all over the world.
The council are once again ignoring the advice of Dr Denness who has proved them irrefutably wrong on previous occasions.
Charles White
Co-Founder, Sons Of Neptune and author of ‘The Adventures Of The Sons Of Neptune’.
Scalby Road
Scarborough
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
I read the news today, oh boy
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 07:05 PMThe SofN's ability to "engage" consultants who tell them exactly what they want to hear is rivalled only by the council's.
joan greenwood
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:16 PMperhaps the council would prefer to spend even more of our money on a consultant Keep up the good work Sons of Neptune
southcliff
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:55 AMWhat I can't understand is that they are only doing the bit in front of the Spa, if the wall is that bad then surely the approach road wall will need doing and the area below the Ocean Room and Clock Cafe? Otherwise the Spa will be all alone on an island with no access? Does anyone have any joined up thinking?
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