A farmer on the Essex coast is bringing in a helicopter to show how it could be used to tackle emergency sea wall repairs.
The helicopter will make repeated trips carrying rock, dirt and road planings to a simulated breach in the sea wall at Potton Island, on the River Roach, tomorrow (Thursday 2 September).
Farmer Peter Philpot has invited more than 60 people - ranging from emergency planners to coastal engineers, farmers, district and county council staff and Environment Agency representatives - to watch the demonstration.
He still remembers the devastating 1953 floods and their long-term impact, which left the farmland unusable for six years.
“We have to be prepared as an industry to react quickly if the worst happens. In 1953 there were hundreds of farmers filling sandbags, and without them Potton would have gone, but that sort of resource is not available today,” he said.
“I’m paying for this to demonstrate how quickly a breach could be repaired using helicopters.”
Mr Philpot is a tenant of the Ministry of Defence on Potton Island, which includes 1000 acres of farmland defended by 6.5 miles of seawalls. All the farmland is currently used for growing grass, with the land hired out to local graziers.
He said the demonstration would not be happening without help from Karen Thomas, Essex coastal adviser for the Environment Agency, and staff from QinetiQ, which operates Potton Island for the MOD.
Among those at tomorrow’s event will be representatives from Managing Coastal Change (MCC), the project set up by the NFU, CLA and FWAG to help farmers adapt to change on the Essex coast.
NFU senior policy adviser Paul Hammett, a member of the MCC’s project board, said: “Managing Coastal Change is all about helping farmers help themselves, and flood risk planning is a key part of the project’s work this year.
“We are grateful to Mr Philpot for arranging this demonstration and for bringing together a wide range of people who may be able to work with farmers and landowners on this planning process.”
No comments have been made.