The key elements of this option are:
The recharged shingle beach will be accomplished by pumping material from a ship on to the beach and forming it to profile using bulldozers. The beach crest will be widened substantially by about 10 metres. The material to be brought in to build up the beach will be specified after an appraisal of likely sources. This material would be selected to match the existing beach material as closely as possible. This wide beach would bury the existing beach structures which would be either extracted or cut off. Existing outfalls to the sea may need to be extended.
The beach will be recharged periodically to restore any losses on say a five year cycle, again using material brought in by ship. The beach crest will be formed to a smooth alignment round the bay. Where properties are particularly close to the beach or the beach crest is narrow, breastwork would be put in at the back of the beach. This breastwork would be either of timber or rock depending on the location. The timber breastwork is essentially a strong vertical hardwood fence constructed parallel to the beach crest. Breastwork of this type has been traditionally used on this beach in the past. Where stronger breastwork is required this will be constructed of large rock laid at a slope within the beach. The rocks will only be exposed at times of severe storm activity and after that should be quickly re-covered with beach material.
The groynes will be constructed at regular intervals along the new beach face. The groynes may be constructed of hardwood timber, similar to those presently existing on the beach. An alternative is to construct the groynes using softwood timber but this will require a high level of regular maintenance and more frequent groyne replacement. In some locations, rock groynes have been used to replace timber construction. Rock groynes may be of more massive construction than those formed of timber and consequently are more expensive. At Pevensey, however, it is hoped to be able to develop an effective rock groyne system. The use of large rock inevitably forms a structure with voids between the rocks but these would be filled with beach material.
In the past, groynes on the Pevensey frontage have not extended very far out on to the lower sand foreshore. The maintenance of sand levels is recognised as being important to the sea defences at this location. It is therefore proposed that every 600 metres or so the groynes will be extended out to the low tide mark using low rock heads. These heads which would sit between one and two metres above the existing beach but below mean tide level would be designed to reduce current effects on the sand encouraging its retention and a build up of lower beach levels.