Revised plans for Laxey’s proposed sea defences have been submitted.

The new proposal will see the height of the reinforced concrete cantilever retaining wall running the length of the promenade remain at the original design level of 1.2m, but the walkway will be raised by up to 65cm to allow people sitting on benches to view the sea.

If approved, construction is expected to take six months. The cost of the project would be between £1.5m and £2m.

Kate Lord-Brennan, political member with responsibility for highway services, said the Department of Infrastructure had ’listened to the community’s concerns’ and the revised designs addressed many issues raised when the plans were put on public display in July.

Meanwhile, an online poll relating to the planned Laxey sea defences provoked such a negative response its instigator felt he had to remove it.

Peter Burgess, who is clerk to Garff commissioners, said he was interested to know people’s perception of the situation in Laxey and the frequency of ’overtopping’ on the sea front.

He put the poll on the web asking people to indicate the number of times they thought sea water had washed over onto the front in the past year. But he decided to remove it after it sparked criticism.

Mr Burgess said he created the poll on a purely independent basis, unrelated to his work, because he thought many people were not aware of how often the flooding happened.

’People are not always aware because sometimes it happens over night and there isn’t always debris like pebbles and seaweed left behind,’ he said. ’I was interested in people’s perception but I felt I should withdraw it.

’Overtopping is not officially recorded by the commissioners or by the DoI. I asked people if they thought overtopping had happened, say one to five times, five to 10 times or more than 10 times in the past year.

view

’My personal view is we need to have a better understanding.’

The latest sea wall proposals are now available for inspection in the Laxey commissioners’ offices and had, Mr Burgess said, taken account of some of the concerns raised.

Mr Burgess said he believed the objective was to start work as soon as possible if plans were approved, but added: ’But if there are enough objections, they are quite happy to walk away and it won’t happen.’

Plans are available to view at Garff Commissioners.

Under the revised proposals, pedestrian access will be provided by steps, reducing in number as the base of the new wall tapers to meet the existing wall level at the slipway. A ramp will allow access for wheelchair users.

An opening has been left in the proposed wall by the existing steps, where 1.2m-high storm boards can be fitted during sea surges.

Residents had voiced disappointment at the possible loss of view across the bay, particularly for visitors in cars.

The proposed wall along Tent Road has been stepped back by around 1 metre to allow better access for harbour users. Walls that were to be built around the boat park at the entrance to the pier have been removed from the plans to allow any storm water to drain across the boat park and into the harbour, as it does now.

If approved, construction is expected to take six months. The cost of the project would be between £1.5m and £2m.