Future Coast Bude | Let's Talk Cornwall

Category Gabions Show all

Summerleaze Beach urgent health and safety repairs – undertaken by Cornwall Council

At Summerleaze beach, wire baskets containing rocks are used to line the banks of the River Neet. These baskets are called gabions and help to keep the river flowing in a particular place. The gabion baskets run all the way from the slip way at the back of Summerleaze car park, to the Iron Bridge, along the right hand bank (the one on the right as you look downstream). There are a number of baskets stacked on top of one another. Much of the time these baskets are covered in sand.
	During a recent inspection, undertaken by Cornwall Council, a number of failed baskets have been identified. This has led to metal wire sticking out which causes a health and safety risk. Some of the baskets are beyond repair. These are mostly located at the bend in the river. The plan is to remove the top layer of baskets here.
The gabions which are not being removed will be inspected and any metal sticking out will be removed and recycled. Wire mesh will be placed over the damaged gabions to stop any more metal coming out of the baskets and causing a health and safety risk. A rope barrier will be installed along the top of the gabions to highlight the damaged areas, while Cornwall Council evaluate the effect of the whole gabion wall on the dune system. Work is expected to take place during the week of 23 February 2026, for a duration of approximately 3 weeks.