The Environment Agency will begin its annual beach replenishment programme along the Lincolnshire coast on 9 June, investing more than £7 million to strengthen flood defences and
protect thousands of properties from tidal flooding.
Over the next four to five weeks, approximately 300,000 cubic metres of sand will be dredged from licensed offshore areas and deposited on beaches between Saltfleet and Gibraltar Point. The operation replaces sand naturally lost to coastal erosion and helps maintain the region’s first line of defence against the sea.
According to the Environment Agency, the project will help reduce flood risk for around 20,000 homes and businesses, 24,500 static caravans, and 35,000 hectares of land.
Rather than relying solely on hard flood defences such as sea walls, the replenished beaches absorb the force of incoming waves, reducing erosion and limiting the risk of water overtopping existing coastal structures.
The Lincolnshire beach nourishment programme has been carried out annually since 1994 and forms a key part of the county’s long-term coastal flood management strategy.
Deborah Higton, Flood Risk Manager at the Environment Agency, said the work remains essential in protecting communities and ageing coastal defences from tidal flooding.
“Our current coastal management approach of re-nourishing the beaches between Saltfleet and Gibraltar Point is vital to managing tidal flood risk for Lincolnshire by better protecting the ageing coastal defences,” she said.
“The work also brings wider benefits in maintaining the county’s sandy beaches for us all to enjoy.”
Despite the ongoing investment, Higton warned that large areas of Lincolnshire remain vulnerable because much of the county lies at or below sea level.
She urged residents and businesses to prepare for potential flooding by signing up for the Environment Agency’s free flood warning service.
The beach replenishment scheme is funded through the Environment Agency’s capital programme and forms part of the government’s wider Flood and Coastal Risk Management investment strategy.
Since 2024, £2.65 billion has been invested in flood and coastal defence projects across England, with a further £4.2 billion committed over the next three years to build new schemes and maintain existing protections.
Residents can check whether their property is at risk of flooding and register for free flood warnings through GOV.UK or by contacting Floodline. Photo by Scott Catron, Wikimedia commons.
