Work has begun constructing a new sea wall to protect part of The Naze at Walton-on-the-Naze.
The clay embankment is designed to protect the John Weston Nature Reserve at the Naze, farmland and an Anglian Water recycling centre, from a one in 100 years flood event.
It will also connect the sea wall to the higher ground, with work expected to last around four months.
Nick Turner, who represents Tendring District Council on the Naze board, said: “This scheme will help protect part of the Naze, which is a beautiful piece of our landscape and both historically and environmentally significant, for many years to come,
““By far the most important thing is that the sea will be held up and not allowed to cut through to the Walton Channel – thus eroding the Naze Marsh, Cormorant and Stone Creeks and Stone Point, leading to radical change and destroying the Backwaters as we know it.
“It has taken several years to come to fruition due to the processes of planning permission, agreement from bodies such as Natural England and the Environment Agency, and organising the funding.
“But now we are here, spades are in the ground, and work has begun to save this intrinsic part of our coastline.”
The £300,000 project is funded by the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, Anglian Water, landowner David Eagle, the Naze Protection Society, Frinton and Walton Town Council and Tendring council, and supported by all involved with the Naze Management Board.
The Naze at Walton is partially looked after by Essex Wildlife Trust and administered by the Naze Management Board, comprising of several different partners.
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