An additional £150,000 will be spent on emergency coastal defences at Beesands after storms caused “significant damage” to the village’s shoreline.

South Hams District Council has approved funding for 1,300 tonnes of additional rock armour to be placed in front of the village green.

The work is due to begin on October 6 and is expected to take four weeks, with local contractor Landmarc carrying out the scheme.

The council said it had already spent around £1 million maintaining the coastal defences next to Beesands Village Green since 2015.

But storms earlier in the year caused damage on a scale which it said could no longer be addressed through normal maintenance.

The council subsequently committed £180,000 to place 1,500 tonnes of rock armour between January and February.

It has now approved the further £150,000 emergency intervention following advice from coastal specialists.

The council said the additional rock armour was being placed to protect “key infrastructure”, particularly the main access into Beesands and the road serving properties along the seafront.

Council Leader Cllr Dan Thomas said the works would provide “some additional protection”, but warned they could not guarantee there would be no further damage this winter.

He said the aim was to reduce the immediate risk of erosion while giving the council time to work with residents, government agencies and potential funding partners on longer-term options.

The council acknowledged the announcement had prompted concerns locally, saying it understood the “considerable uncertainty” caused by continuing erosion, particularly following major storms.

It said it had considered the potential consequences of both taking further action and doing nothing, with neither option being without risk.

“Having taken specialist advice, we agree these works are still necessary,” the council said.

However, there are mixed views among residents about whether continued investment in the coastline is the right long-term approach.

Some have questioned the sense of spending further taxpayers’ money on what they see as delaying the eventual loss of land to the sea, arguing that funding could instead be used to help relocate residents.

Others have suggested the problem is connected to historic changes to the seabed, including the dredging of shingle from the area in the 1890s.

Some have pointed to approaches used elsewhere, including Australia, where beach replenishment and replacement of lost sediment are used as coastal management measures.

Others have welcomed the new works, arguing that Beesands is an important South Hams community and asset which should be protected.

The council said there were currently no guarantees of a new or more comprehensive coastal defence scheme.

It said it would continue working with stakeholders to examine the longer-term risks, possible options, funding routes and opportunities available.

Residents can contact the council’s coastal engineers at [email protected].