Storm-hit Sunderland sea defences need £3m repairs
- Published
The Old North Pier helps stop sediment building up in the Port of Sunderland's navigation channel to its south
Emergency repairs to coastal defences and piers damaged by the Beast from the East will cost £3.1m, Sunderland Council has said.
A section of Sunderland's Old North Pier was lost during the March storm.
It has been estimated that without its protection the port faces dredging works costing £100,000 annually, the council said.
Stonehill Wall and New South Pier also suffered significant damage and a work schedule for them is being drawn up.
Stonehilll Wall was another casualty of the storms
The repairs could take up to 20 weeks to complete, and the cost will be met from the council's capital budget.
A council spokesman said: "All these repairs should prevent the damage getting worse and therefore reduce the risk of mounting costs in the future."