A RIVERSIDE wall needs repairing to retain its role in the vital flood protection measures for Tavistock centre.

A small section of the River Tavy bankside wall on Market Road retaining wall has a ‘significant’ hole (or void) in it which needs to be filled to provide stability and ensure it remains a viable anti-flood measure.

It is understood the hole was caused by work being carried out by another unnamed agency in the six-foot high stone wall, which dates from about 150 years ago. An operating budget of £170,000 has been allocated to the remedial work which is seen as a priority projct for Tavistock Town Council.

The only obvious visual indication there is anything wrong, is the presence of a fenced-off area adjacent to the wall with temporary barriers and traffic cones to prevent any extra pressure from the weight and movement of traffic. This measure will be in place until the completion of the main contract in summer of 2023.

The council recently agreed to engage consultant engineers for £17,550.20 to deliver the early stages of a survey to determine what work needs to be done and how it is undertaken. An ecological expert has also been contracted to report on any wildlife and plant habitats that will need to be taken into account to avoid disturbance during future work.

Depending on the engineers’ report, the repair might need to be conducted either in wet conditions or be sealed off and completed in a dry ‘bubble’ underwater. The hole could be under or above water, depending on the water level in the river at the time, which in turn varies according to rain. The River Tavy has one of the biggest water level ranges in the country — between average and the highest or lowest levels. The river also has very high intensity and volume surges of water.

A topographical survey of Market Rd was due to be undertaken during this summer along with preliminary planning and consultation with a view to producing the first draft of the design access statement.

The council has been advised there is a narrow window to deliver the capital engineering works (during the drier months of June to September) and therefore, the main contract will not be undertaken until 2023.

The aim is to run the tender process at the earliest opportunity on completion of other critical stages, with the target for tender opening at the beginning of the New Year with the aim to let the contract at that stage.

Delivering the tender process at the earliest opportunity will allow the council the opportunity to review capital funds availability for other priority projects such as the town hall enveloping works and museum structural improvements, where those tender periods can be run aligned with Market Rd instability contract. Further progress reports will be presented to council in the coming weeks.