Hello Lamp Post allows people to have 2-way ‘chats’ with objects in their local environment. QR codes have been attached to parts of the tidal defence around Exmouth; anyone with a smartphone can scan the QR code or text the number on the sign to begin a conversation.

Residents and visitors will be able to find out why the defences are needed and how they can reduce their own flood risk in a digestible, informative and playful way. They’ll also be able to give feedback on the Exmouth tidal defence scheme itself.

The first interactive objects are now live at Estuary View car park on Royal Avenue and the flood gate at Alexandra Terrace junction.

Kate Pearson, Flood Resilience Engagement Advisor at The Environment Agency said:

Community engagement is key to our flood defence work. We’re always looking for better ways to reach people, to find out what residents want and what they think of the work we’re doing.

Hello Lamp Post lets us reach people when they’re actually standing next to our defences, they can give us feedback without the need for a physical meeting so it’s a really covid secure way to engage with people.

Cllr Geoff Jung, East Devon District Council portfolio holder for Coast, Country and Environment said:

Now the contractors are nearly finished on the Exmouth tidal defence scheme this clever piece of modern technology will explain to people all the whys, the what and the what ifs for this scheme and explains to the user why the scheme was required to help protect the town, its businesses and residents. We are pleased to offer our support for this exciting initiative.

The £12 million Exmouth tidal defence scheme is due to be fully complete later this year. The Environment Agency is working in partnership with East Devon District Council to deliver the scheme which will reduce the risk of tidal flooding to over 1,400 residential and 400 commercial properties.

The Environment Agency say they’ll be launching more talking objects around Exmouth in a few weeks’ time, so make sure you keep an eye out for the QR codes and say ‘Hello’.

The work is part of the Lower Otter Restoration Project in Budleigh Salterton, which will see land reclaimed from the sea 200 years ago being returned to floodplain.

Work to excavate creeks on the northern end of the site starts on Tuesday 31 August and will take 5 weeks. On Wednesday 1 September, vegetation clearance will begin and is expected to take 6 to 8 weeks, and is being timed to be after bird nesting and dormice breeding seasons.

In order to keep people safe, the west footpath will be closed from 1 September for 8 weeks. This is the footpath near the top point of Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club’s pitch and the first one reached when coming down South Farm Road from East Budleigh Road. The eastern footpath will remain open from South Farm Road to the Lime Kiln car park.

It may also be necessary to prevent access to wildlife viewing platforms for short periods during the work, but marshals will be on hand to let people know if platforms are temporarily closed.

No parking is operating in South Farm Road and at Whitebridge throughout the project works, which will continue until spring 2023 when a new car park will be built off South Farm Road.

The project is part of the €26 million Promoting Adaptation to Changing Coasts project, which also has a similar scheme underway in the Saâne Valley in Normandy, France. In Devon it will see current grassland created during historic reclamation work, replaced with 55 hectares of intertidal mudflat and saltmarsh, plus a net gain of more than 2 hectares of broadleaved woodland and 1.5 kilometres of hedgerow.

Notes to editors

The French arm of the project is in the Saâne Valley in Normandy and includes building a new water treatment works and moving a campsite at Quebeville.

It is thought that up to 70 estuarine sites in northern France and southern England may benefit from the PACCo project, by following the model being used on the Lower Otter and Saâne Valley.