The Isle of Wight Council says it still remains ‘unsafe and impractical’ to intervene with the ongoing situation at Belgrave Road in Ventnor following the partial collapse of a vital retaining wall.
In a joint update from both the Council and Island Roads, it has been said that officials have been continuing to undertake daily site inspections and monitoring of the wall movement and cracking both at the top of the terrace and the middle and lower sections.
The heavy rainfall during recent storms has resulted in the top section of the wall moving further downwards, with falling material coming to rest on the lower terrace. However, the wire netting is said to have worked effectively and has contained the materials within the site.
No movement or deterioration has been observed in the middle wall and no additional cracking or deterioration has been observed in the lower wall above Esplanade Road.
The current movement notwithstanding, the Council say they are keen to reassure residents that there are no signs that the road itself is substantially in any danger of collapsing.
While the wall continues to move, it remains unsafe and impractical for the local authority to intervene until they can be certain the situation has stabilised further. However, the Council are continuing to look at what steps they might be able to take as soon as it becomes safe for them to do so.
It has been announced that a topographical survey of the site area was carried out last week which will assist in this process. This, together with the installation and initial survey of monitoring equipment, will enable the Council to undertake more detailed monitoring of the site and allow them to see when it has stabilised sufficiently to carry out a more thorough investigation on site.
A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council and Island Roads has said:
“We understand that residents will be keen for this situation to the rectified and the road reopened as soon as possible, but we must wait until we can be satisfied that any work on site will not pose a safety risk either to residents or to our workforce or affect the stability of the area”.
Usual council attitude.
Do nothing until we have to do something.
No pro-active work whatsoever.
What proactive work do you think they could have done? Underpin every road in Ventnor?
Give them time – it hasn’t even been a decade yet.