Residents in Torcross are seeking clarification over the major sea defence works due to get underway next month.

The concerns follow a letter from contractor Kier Construction, dated September 23, warning residents and businesses that construction traffic is due to increase significantly from Monday, October 12.

Kier said vehicles will be moving approximately twice an hour between 05:00 and 19:00, Monday to Friday, with reduced movements on Saturdays as the initial rock placement progresses.

The warning comes as the Environment Agency’s urgent coastal defence scheme moves into its construction phase, following the severe storms which battered Torcross in January and February.

The £19.8m project will create a 390-metre rock armour revetment along the existing sea wall, using up to 58,000 tonnes of rock to strengthen the coastline.

Much of the rock will arrive by sea rather than road.

According to Kier, larger rocks will begin arriving by barge from October 17, subject to Marine Management Organisation approval.

The rocks will be unloaded near the shoreline at high tide before being collected by excavator at low tide.

However, the operation will still require a substantial amount of land-based traffic, including deliveries of plant, materials and other equipment.

Kier's latest letter says the designated route to and from the shoreline is the only viable access available, while the site compound, welfare facilities and land-based plant will be based in the already-closed Torcross car park.

The precise movement of construction traffic is now a particular concern for residents, with questions being raised about how heavy vehicles will negotiate the area's already fragile road network.

The A379 has suffered extensive storm damage this year, with sections of the Slapton Line affected by collapse and erosion.

The sea defence project is separate from efforts to secure central government funding for repairs to the damaged A379.

A temporary traffic order currently restricts through traffic between Torcross and the war memorial, with the signed diversion using the A379, A3122 and A381.

The latest Kier letter also warns that, at certain stages, a 24-hour working pattern may be required to make the most of tidal conditions.

Kier has acknowledged the potential disruption for residents, businesses and people travelling in and out of the area, while also asking visitors who come to watch the works to be mindful of those living nearby and avoid active working areas.

Temporary restrictions to public access, including beach closures and diversions of the South West Coast Path, will also be required for safety.

The Environment Agency and Slapton Line Partnership have previously described the works as an urgent response to the rapid lowering of the beach during last winter's storms. The Slapton Line Partnership is now publishing construction updates, including information on working patterns, tidal changes and progress.

Residents can raise questions directly with Kier's project team at [email protected], particularly where they need clarification over delivery movements and construction activity.

The September letter says Kier will also hold a community open event once its site offices are established, allowing residents to meet the project team and raise concerns.

For many in Torcross, however, the immediate question is how the village's roads will cope when the heavy traffic begins arriving on October 12.