Shoreland Making Waves in Seaham

North Pier at Seaham Harbour

The North Pier at Seaham Harbour has been protecting the historic farming village for well over one hundred years.

It sits on a coastline that was designated a ‘heritage coast’ back in 2001 and is vital for the Town’s flood defences.

Concerns have been raised in recent years as the pier is known to have been breached at least three times.  With weather becoming more erratic and unpredictable due to climate change, there were even fears the pier could collapse completely if left untouched.

Those fears were put to rest earlier this year however, when Durham County Council announced it had secured funding for the restoration of the landmark. In a scheme that will cost well over £3m, around 100 homes and dozens of businesses will be safeguarded against the risk of flooding.

So what is Shoreland’s part in this project?

Well the company actually has two parts to play. Firstly, Carillion, who are the main contractors for the project, have enlisted two of Shoreland’s four vessels to work as safety boats while works are ongoing on the pier.

The safety boats will be required for the duration of the project which is due to finish in November 2015. Whilst there are workers on the pier, the boats must be present in order to retrieve any individual, who may for whatever reason, end up in the drink!

Shoreland is also playing a part in the reinforcement of the pier itself, by supplying rope access technicians to drill steel bars into the side of the structure which will later be filled with concrete.

Shoreland Access is delighted to be a part of a project that will help secure local people’s homes and livelihoods for years to come.

It is the first time Shoreland have partnered with Carillion to undertake a project but will hopefully not be the last. The construction industry has seen resurgence in recent years and I wouldn’t bet against Carillion enlisting Shoreland’s services again for future projects.