Project record

Sidmouth and East Beach coastal defence scheme

Participation
Awarded
Participation checked

East Devon's 28 September UK7 notice records a Boskalis Westminster contract signed on 14 September 2026 at GBP 18,911,242.18 excluding VAT, with a 15 September 2026 to 29 March 2030 contract period; Stage 2 instruction and physical mobilisation remain unconfirmed

Participation source

East Devon District Council's UK7 notice records a contract signed with Boskalis Westminster on 14 September 2026 for GBP 18,911,242.18 excluding VAT. The contract period runs from 15 September 2026 to 29 March 2030. The NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract, Option C, uses X22 Early Contractor Involvement: Stage 1 develops modelling, detailed design, consultation, planning, consents and construction drawings before a separate Stage 2 construction decision. The indicative Option 6 scope combines beach recharge, offshore rock breakwaters or submerged features, a terminal rock groyne, splash-wall and flood-gate changes, River Sid interfaces and improved access.

Conceptual aerial visualization of Sidmouth and East Beach with an indicative offshore rock breakwater, terminal rock groyne and beach recharge

IMWO artist's impression of the published Sidmouth and East Beach coastal defence scheme scope

Location

United Kingdom / Europe

Segment

Two-stage coastal flood and erosion defence, beach recharge and offshore rock works

Phase

Award / Confirmed

Last checked

15 October 2026

Coverage

Related sectors

Two-stage coastal flood and erosion defence, beach recharge and offshore rock works is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.

Subject index

Related subjects

These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.

Project anatomy

Contract scope and delivery roles

Client / authority
East Devon District Council, with Environment Agency flood-defence grant funding and local authority contributions
Procurement references
ED0373-25; ocds-h6vhtk-051908; 023331-2025; 006110-2026; 063115-2026; 091478-2026
Delivery parties
Boskalis Westminster Limited - contracted lead designer and delivery partner; UK7 records signature on 14 September 2026, Royal HaskoningDHV - outline business-case and earlier scheme-design consultant; no current delivery-contract role inferred, Rock quarry, beach-fill source, marine plant, survey, modelling, environmental, planning, temporary works and specialist subcontractors - publicly unnamed
Contract route
Under reference ED0373-25, East Devon used an open procedure for a single NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract, Option C target cost, incorporating X22 Early Contractor Involvement. Quality carried 60% and price 40%. Six valid final-stage bids came from Boskalis Westminster, Alun Griffiths, Herbosch-Kiere Marine Contractors, Kier Integrated Services, Knights Brown and Wills Bros Civil Engineering. The 6 July UK6 recorded selection on 30 June at GBP 18,911,242 excluding VAT, a pending award and planned 17 July signature after standstill. UK7 notice 091478-2026, published on 28 September, records an active contract signed on 14 September at GBP 18,911,242.18 excluding VAT. The related design engagement under ocds-h6vhtk-051904 remains a separate procurement.
Execution window
The signed contract's published period is 15 September 2026 to 29 March 2030. It supersedes the UK6's planned 20 July 2026 start. Stage 1 covers modelling, detailed design, statutory consultation, planning and consents before a break-point decision on Stage 2 construction. Actual Stage 1 mobilisation, planning submission, marine licence, final geometry and Stage 2 instruction remain unconfirmed as at 15 October.
Works package
Develop the approved Option 6 outline into a consented, buildable coastal-defence scheme. The indicative interventions are beach renourishment at Sidmouth and East Beach; a terminal rock groyne; one or more offshore rock breakwaters or alternative submerged wave-attenuation features; splash-wall replacement or future-proofing; flood-gate and access upgrades; River Sid training-wall and flood-wall interfaces; and related professional services. The 2023 outline described a roughly 120-metre East Beach super-groyne, but final number, length, orientation and levels remain subject to Stage 1 modelling, consultation and approvals.
Marine interfaces
The delivery partner must reconcile beach sediment transport, offshore and nearshore rock structures, dredged or imported recharge material, the River Sid mouth, existing 1990s defences, heritage seafront assets, cliff recession and active beach access. The tender identifies marine ground investigation, fishermen's equipment, offshore and nearshore movements, storm exposure, beach-level fluctuation, SSSI assent, Crown Estate rights, MMO licensing, Natural England and Environment Agency consents as explicit interfaces and risks.
Commercial evidence boundary
The UK7 reports GBP 18,911,242.18 excluding VAT and GBP 22,693,490.40 including VAT. Both amounts are retained as published; the gross amount is unchanged from the UK6 despite an additional GBP 0.18 in the net field. The detailed tax and price schedule remains unreviewed. GBP 21.04 million was the tender estimate and GBP 20 million the earlier whole-scheme funding envelope. East Devon's 2 July FOI response recorded zero contract-works expenditure at that date; current expenditure, Stage 1 fees paid, Stage 2 commitment, certified production and final account remain unconfirmed.

Project timeline

Material developments

Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.

Open this project in the Change Log

UK7 recorded the signed Boskalis contract

The contract-details notice records signature on 14 September, GBP 18,911,242.18 excluding VAT and GBP 22,693,490.40 including VAT, with a 15 September 2026 to 29 March 2030 period. Stage 1 mobilisation and Stage 2 construction instruction remain separate evidence checks.

Source

Find a Tender published the Boskalis award decision

The notice records Boskalis as selected supplier at GBP 18,911,242 after six valid bids, while keeping both award and contract pending and scheduling a 17 July signature after standstill.

Source

Council said no contract-works expenditure had yet occurred

East Devon's FOI response recorded zero spent on contract works while the procurement remained pre-award, establishing a clean pre-award commercial baseline.

Source

Cabinet delegated authority for a two-stage award

The resolution authorised officers to award after evaluation and described Stage 1 design, modelling, consultation and consents with an option to proceed to Stage 2 construction.

Source

The open NEC4 ECI tender launched

The tender set a GBP 21.04 million estimate, 60:40 quality-price weighting, marine and environmental risk register and a two-stage delivery route for the Option 6 outline.

Source

Environment Agency funding assurance was announced

The council confirmed GBP 16 million of UK Government funding within a GBP 20 million scheme intended to improve protection for 113 homes and 70 commercial properties, subject to design, planning and construction delivery.

Source

Evidence gap

What remains unverified

Outstanding evidence

  • Full signed NEC4 contract, price schedule and reported net/gross value reconciliation
  • Stage 1 notice to proceed and consultant or designer appointments
  • Numerical modelling, marine ground investigation and final Option 6 geometry
  • Planning permission, SSSI assent, Crown Estate rights and MMO marine licence
  • Stage 2 construction option and approved target cost
  • Rock quarry, armour grading, recharge source and transport route
  • Marine plant, dredger, barge, tug, survey and temporary-works assignments
  • Named lower-tier subcontractors and Boskalis workshare
  • First mobilisation, placed quantities, sectional acceptance and 2030 completion

Related records 2

Reporting status

Project phase
Award
Evidence confidence
Confirmed
Last checked
15 October 2026
Cited sources
10

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Source collections

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