Specialist engineering work will soon be starting on private land off Old Castle Road in Weymouth.
On Monday, 7 December, work will start to install a row of bored piles along the edge of the highway to help protect the steep upper section of the slope, and road, from slipping.
This first phase of piling will enable building on the land to continue safely – with the slope being fully stabilised as part of the development process.
The work will involve installing a set of closely spaced, bored piles with small gaps between them. This close spacing forms a wall to retain the ground, while the gaps allow water to drain through – an essential feature in this location where any interruption to the drainage path of groundwater could cause further instability.
Installation of the piles is being carried out by the landowner with the support of Dorset Council, with the work taking place before the worst of the winter weather arrives.
The current temporary traffic lights will remain in place and the road will continue to be single width until the slope is fully stabilised as part of construction on the land.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “This is really positive progress and I’m hopeful that it will reassure local residents of the continued access along Old Castle Road.
“This significant step forward has been, in large, down to the site owner’s willingness to talk openly with us about his plans, so that we can work together to achieve a common goal.”
Earlier this year, following a landslip on land next to Old Castle Road, a geotechnical report was commissioned and identified a Translational Landslide – a down-slope movement of material – caused by a natural process of rainwater drainage through the land; nearby inland rainfall soaks through more permeable layers of material until it finds clay, it then runs along the surface of this clay layer downhill towards the cliff.
The effects of this groundwater drainage can be seen along the Jurassic Coast, where there is a high risk of landslips following substantial rainfall.
Very pleased to see that the landslip is being managed, grateful thanks to the new landowner and Dorset Council.