Stones displaced in storms moved to protect Laxey sea wall

Stones are said to ease the vibrations from larger waves

Large stones have been moved on Laxey Beach to help lessen coastal overtopping in the village, the local authority has said.

Garff Commissioners raised concerns about the exposed sea wall following recent storms.

Residents had reported "a big vibration against the wall" making them feel "like their properties were actually shaking from the waves".

The northern end of the beach became exposed after Storm Debi.

The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) said: "A site inspection confirmed that the wall had become exposed and there was a clear need to protect the highway."

'Lessens energy'

A contractor banked the material against the wall to provide protection to both the wall itself and nearby properties, he added.

While the DOI owns the wall and the road, the local authority owns the beach.

Commissioner Melanie Christian told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Having the stones there sort of lessens the energy from the waves and eases the vibration."

She said the problem had been exacerbated by the recent Storm Debi, which displaced many of the stones at the northern end of the stretch.

"There is a general concern, in particularly Laxey, about flooding and coastal overtopping," she said after the lower village was hit by a major flood in October 2019.

"We are very aware when there is a yellow weather warning for coastal overtopping that we do have resources in place to help local residents deal with that," she added.

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