AROUND 40,000 cubic metres of sand will be pumped on to Poole’s Shore Road beach as part of a £700,000 project to protect properties from coastal erosion.

Borough of Poole said around a decade’s worth of erosion occurred in just a couple of months during last year’s winter storms.

Council flood and coastal management portfolio holder Cllr Xena Dion said: “The winter storms of last year demonstrated how important coastal protection is for our properties and infrastructure in Poole.

“Considering the strength of the storms our system of flood defences worked very well, but they need to be replenished.

“Working in partnership with the Environment Agency and Poole Harbour Commissioners, we have created an efficient process that recycles the same sand that is already on our award-winning beaches.”

The project, being carried out after £700,000 government funding was secured, is scheduled to start in mid-November. It involves building a pipeline on the beach, then a dredger will pump the sand 350 metres either side of Shore Road. Work will continue for 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a fortnight, although contractors Rohde Nielsen are likely to be on site for between four and five weeks.

Poole Harbour Commissioners are supplying the sand from maintenance dredging of Poole Harbour’s Swash Channel. After the dredger pumps sand onto the beach, it will be moved around by bulldozers.

Borough of Poole says access to the beach will be maintained where practicable, but it will be necessary to close short sections at times.

Cllr Dion said: “Building the beaches back up to their previous levels will help ensure the beaches are ready to provide protection from future winter storms.

“The 24-hour operation may cause some noise disturbance, but every effort will be made to ensure this is kept to a minimum during the night time.”