CONCERNED councillors are calling for urgent repairs to be made to Dovercourt’s crumbling sea wall.

Fears have been raised by dog walkers and beach users following the exposure of metal spikes and supports from two concrete groynes, off Marine Parade, due to erosion.

Harwich town councillors are concerned it could take two years for repairs to be made – and fear Dovercourt Beach could lose its prestigious Blue Flag award.

Ward councillor Jo Henderson said: “While welcoming the improvements being made to beaches and seafronts in various parts of the Tendring district, I am concerned that such improvements are being carried out to the detriment of routine maintenance in Dovercourt.

“I have received numerous complaints about the condition of the seafront and beach at Dovercourt Bay.

“This issue is getting worse every month – that we have to wait up to two years for general maintenance is very concerning.”

She added: “I am pleased that sharp metal will be removed soon, but there is still a serious issue.

“The sea wall is crumbling and simply removing the sharp metal is not going to make the issue go away.

“The whole beach area from the lighthouses up to the West End needs urgent attention.”

“As a Blue Flag area, it would be a shame to have the beaches deemed as unsafe.”

Mrs Henderson was told by Tendring Council the repairs to the two groynes were programmed to be completed in 2017/18.

She called for all urgent repairs to be made before the start of the main summer season.

“I am very concerned that some of the repairs will take up to two years to be completed,” she said.

“These concrete areas are breaking up rapidly. To leave these repairs will surely not be cost effective. Beach and seafront users safety should not be put at risk.”

Nigel Brown, Tendring council’s communications manager, said public safety was of paramount importance for the council.

“We will continue to monitor this area and should it become an urgent situation, we can always change our programme of works to take that into account,” he said.

“Currently repairs of the timber groyne are due to start next month and the two mass concrete groynes are scheduled for the next financial year. I can only emphasise the issue will continue to be carefully monitored.”

Mr Brown added routine maintenance in Dovercourt had not been neglected because of the major scheme carried out between Clacton and Holland-on-Sea.

“The Clacton project was a capital scheme with specific funding outside of the normal annual repair and maintenance budget used for work such as that at Dovercourt,” he said