EMERGENCY work currently taking place to shore up part of Felixstowe seafront after it was battered by high tides is costing £425,000, it was revealed today.

EMERGENCY work currently taking place to shore up part of Felixstowe seafront after it was battered by high tides is costing £425,000, it was revealed today.

This is on top of £364,000 paid last summer when part of the prom started to collapse and more than 3,800 tonnes of rock had to be placed along 350 metres of shore in Sea Road.

As part of the works, the Shore Break Café had to be demolished because of concern over whether it would survive and it had to be removed to allow the works to properly protect the area. More emergency work then had to be done in the autumn.

At the time, the government was warned this was only a “sticking plaster” and more costs would come unless Whitehall agreed to fund the £10 million scheme to give long-term protection to the low-lying area.

Cost of the major project is already rising through inflation and inaction - and there is still no sign of the government coughing up the cash.

The latest emergency work began three weeks ago but is not expected to be complete for another five weeks.

Chief executive of Suffolk Coastal, Stephen Baker said the work was taking place following further damage to the beach, groynes, sea wall and the promenade - causing a threat to property and people in the area - at the end of January.

Contractors were rebuilding part of the rock defence that had been “significantly damaged” and reinforcing derelict groynes, using rocks in an attempt to stabilise the beach.

The £425,000 cost of the work is being paid by the council but it will be seeking to reclaim this from DEFRA.

“The council continues to press both the Environment Agency and DEFRA to see whether it is possible to bring forward the permanent works on this frontage. We want to avoid the possibility of yet further damage and risk to this section of coast defences, the flood wall, and therefore the safety of people and property in this area,” said Mr Baker.

“It is likely that funding will be available in the financial year 2008/09, but it is clearly desirable and the sound use of public finance if the capital scheme could be brought forward rather than expensive short-term emergency works having to be undertaken following adverse weather and sea conditions.”

Are you worried about flooding? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk