East Devon District Council has handed a £18.9m contract to Boskalis Westminster Limited to design and deliver the ED0373-25 Sidmouth & East Beach Coastal Defence Scheme, Engineering Construction Works.. The appointment uses the New Engineering Contract NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Option C, paired with Option X22 Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), a procurement device that brings the contractor in at design stage to collaborate with the client and advise on buildability and cost before the formal construction contract is finalised.

The work covers complex marine interventions on a heritage frontage. The scheme will build on an already-appraised outline design known as option 6. It includes beach renourishment, installation of offshore rock structures to dissipate wave energy and manage drift, and upgrades to existing splash walls, flood gates, and river training walls. The supplier will also undertake technical numerical modelling, develop detailed designs, liaise with statutory consultees, and manage construction of the coastal defence infrastructure.

Boskalis Westminster will need to manage interactions with the River Sid, improving the flood wall and associated structures to tie in with the coastal defence works and enhance overall flood resilience. The scheme sits in a complex marine environment where heritage considerations and regulatory approvals are critical; the supplier's experience in both marine engineering and heritage structures is central to the appointment.