Plans to extend a rockfall shelter over the railway line between Dawlish and Holcombe have today (Friday 19 March) received confirmation of £37.4 million pounds in Government funding.

The money from the Department for Transport will help Network Rail build a 209m long extension of the rockfall shelter north of Parsons Tunnel.

It will be constructed with modern materials, and will have open sides rather than the previous brick-built enclosed tunnel extension that is now 100 years old.

Work on the extension is expected to start in August and will take around a year to complete.

However, local residents will see preparatory work starting at the top of the cliffs overlooking the railway track on Monday, March 22.

Network Rail engineers will begin cutting back some of the vegetation and installing safety netting to secure the shrubbery on the cliffs and reduce any falling debris. This work will be closely monitored to ensure the least disruption for wildlife habitats and biodiversity.

The rockfall shelter extension will be built from 6.2m long pre-made concrete wall panels and beams on the roof, covered by a cushioning material that will absorb the impact of any rockfalls as well as promoting vegetation growth. This design will also ensure it is buildable in this hard-to-access location and that the appearance of the new structure is appropriate to its setting.

Network Rail says labour, materials and accommodation will be sourced from the local area, supporting the local economy in Dawlish and the wider district.

The rail company has also carried out environmental studies and submitted reports to Teignbridge Council, setting out its approach to ecological protection and management of potential impacts on wildlife habitats.

'We're excited by the engineering challenge'

Ewen Morrison, senior programme manager for Network Rail's South West Rail Resilience Programme, said: "We are delighted to have received the support of the government to build this important rockfall shelter which will help protect the railway in Devon for the next 100 years.

"This coastal stretch of railway is beautiful but also faces a number of vulnerabilities either side of the railway; rough sea conditions on one side can cause flooding whilst steep cliffs on the other side make the railway at risk of rock falls and landslides.

"We're looking forward to getting started and are excited by the engineering challenge of building such a critical structure in such an inaccessible location whilst minimising the impact on train services."

The full details of the project can be viewed on the planning portal of Teignbridge District Council's website.