Work on the project to remove tonnes of fallen rock from the highway at Belgrave Road begins next week.
It is important, however, to outline the necessary process we need to follow to clear the site and re-open the road to ensure public safety.
Next week (Wednesday and Thursday) technical experts, along with a rope access team, will be on site to fully assess the damage to Belgrave Road and also the risk of further falls from the rockface itself. As part of this, they will also remove vegetation and any loose debris from the rockface.
At the same time, we are developing the best way of removing the debris from Belgrave Road. This is not an easy task given the weight and size of some of the rocks, the confined nature of the site and the risk of rocks falling from the site and cascading down the steep slopes, potentially damaging property below.
With this in mind, it will likely be necessary to erect some sort of containment structure to ensure safety for the public and workforce.
All options for removing the debris are being considered including ‘chemical demolition’, a process already successfully used in the rebuilding of Belgrave Road following the major collapse in 2020.
It is difficult to put a precise timescale on the removal at this stage given that further assessments are required and that some of the specialist work required will need to be put out to tender to ensure best value for the council and ensure that the best solution is achieved.
Island Roads has acted swiftly on receipt of the instruction to begin work and shares, along with the IW Council, a determination to re-open the road as quickly as possible.
Based on current information, it is unlikely the road will be re-opened until the Autumn at the earliest. We will look to allow pedestrian access ahead of full re-opening if it is safe to do so and will also ensure extra signage is placed in the town to help visitors navigate around the closure over the summer, including during the forthcoming Ventnor Fringe festival.
We will keep the community informed as the process develops.
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