Rain Causes Collapse

URGENT works are under way after heavy rainfall caused a wall to collapse in Leigh off Belton Way.

Road barriers were in place on the road whilst the council stabilised that are that has suffered due to record rainfall.

Leigh’s Green Party councillor Richard Longstaff has now called on the council to investigate the area around the Belton Hills as a matter of urgency, to prevent further slippages.

Coun Longstaff reportedly said: “I am concerned about the geology of the embankments across Southend. The increased rainfall globally, caused by climate change, could lead to more slippages.

“Obviously, any embankment is susceptible to slippage, so I’m not trying to be alarmist. But this month is on record as the wettest February for 256 years.

“The cliffs have been there for hundreds of years, but what is unprecedented is the increase in rainfall.

“The council needs to anticipate that increase.”

The news came after the council announced delays to road restrictions on Cliff Parade, where badger setts are preventing £2million works to stabilise the cliffs.

Green Party council candidate and Torquay Drive resident Stuart Allen reportedly expressed disappointment that it’s: “taken the wall to collapse for the council to take it seriously.”

Tory deputy council leader Meg Davidson, who is responsible for the environment, reportedly commented: “As part of the wider cliff stabilisation schemes in Leigh, we have been proactively monitoring the existing situation at Belton Way East.

“We had previously identified the potential weakness of the retaining wall before it collapsed and had robust safety measures already in place including the closure of the southern footway and a lane closure on the northern carriageway.”

The cliff faces on Belton Way primarily consist of London Clay and boast a lengthy record of slope instability.

This instability originates from past erosion processes, which led to the over-steepening of the clay slopes. Ongoing erosion, compounded by environmental change, is said to exacerbate the instability of these slopes.

In 2021, Southend City Council’s highways department identified that these areas required a more substantial investigation and a remedial solution to provide long term stability.

They secured government funding to pursue a more permanent stabilisation scheme for the highway.

Picture: The retaining wall was effected by heavy rain. Pic Southend Council

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