One & Only Le St Géran’s Risky Bet on Coastal Erosion

On July 10, the Ministry of Environment gave the green light for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requested by the luxury resort One & Only Le Saint Géran. The project aiming to construct coastal defenses, including seawalls, breakwaters, and beach replenishment to combat severe erosion threatening the hotel’s beachfront.

The hotel’s previous construction projects have raised alarms among environmentalists, particularly regarding their impact on the marine ecosystem.

In their EIA report, made public after last year’s stakeholder discussions, One & Only Le Saint Géran underscored the urgency of addressing beach erosion.

The proposed plan includes:

• A 136-meter-long rock revetment and seawall along the west end of the main beach, elevated at 1.5 meters above sea level.
• An artificial reef stretching 41 meters offshore from the main beach.
• A 90-meter rock protection wall as a last resort on the east side of the beach.
• A 60-meter-long V-shaped artificial reef installed 95 meters offshore from Villa One, with a crest height of 1.5 meters.
• A buried rock revetment of 115 meters long to safeguard the heliport beach area.

Excavation work will remove 16,000 cubic meters of sand from a nearby sandbank.

Additionally, 12,000 cubic meters of sand will be deposited along the main beach and behind the new reef to reshape the shoreline, creating a bulge.

An additional 4,000 cubic meters will be placed along Villa One to form another projection.

Continuous beach maintenance will include localized enrichment using sediment accumulated on various protrusions and the sandbank.

All construction activities will be managed by the engineering firm Arup. On September 4, 2023, a meeting held at the hotel addressed concerns from relevant authorities, including the Ministries of Environment and Blue Economy.

During this discussion, it was revealed that seagrass had failed to regrow in areas affected by previous constructions carried out by Arup in 2017.

At that time, a 90-meter breakwater was erected under an EIA license, which was believed to offer some coastal protection.

However, the Ministry of Blue Economy indicated that this project has had adverse effects on local seagrass populations, stating, “We noted that when we did the breakwater, this caused damage to the seagrasses, and as of today, we haven’t seen any growth in that region of the sea.”

Despite the hotel’s defense that seagrasses were thriving in different locations, officials pointed out that this concern had been raised multiple times, and efforts for restoration had not been implemented—potentially leading to worsening wave conditions on the hotel’s beach.

The report highlighted a drastic decline in seagrass observed after the breakwater was constructed in late 2017.

The Ministry further claimed that the hotel had failed to take necessary steps for seagrass restoration, which is critical for the marine ecosystem.

It noted that initial plantation efforts by the hotel proved unsuccessful due to the removal of breakwaters and significant changes in the seagrass state.

The EIA license stipulated that the hotel was responsible for rehabilitating any damaged ecosystems.

If initial rehabilitation attempts failed, alternative restoration efforts were to be made. To date, reports confirm the seagrass replanting initiative has failed.

In discussions with the Ministry, it was revealed that different species of seagrass had taken over the area previously dominated by a species that enhanced sand accumulation.

Authorities noted that the removal of gabions by the hotel had resulted in only one area undergoing regeneration.

The Ministry concluded, “We have seen that there was more loss than gain… you have not found a solution to stop the beach from being eroded; it has even aggravated despite those artificial reefs.”

The management of One & Only Le Saint Géran did not respond to requests for comments regarding the ministries’ observations on their 2017 projects.

However, a representative from Arup asserted that all environmental protections have been stringently adhered to since 2017.

“For every project completed in this period, continuous environmental monitoring has taken place, with reports submitted throughout the seven years,” he emphasized.

Local fishermen also expressed concerns at a meeting held on September 1, 2023. Alain Andy, a representative for fishermen from Poste La Fayette and Poste de Flacq, lamented that hotel projects have devastated fishing livelihoods, declaring, “There is no future for youth in fishing.”

Citing his sea experience, he urged the hotel to avoid building a marine wall, noting that the existing construction has led to algal blooms not witnessed in the past.

“Previously, this area was rich in seagrass and home to numerous fish species, making it crucial for local fishing.

Now, it’s just sand, and while this ongoing project might benefit the hotel significantly, it has destroyed fishermen’s livelihoods.”

To facilitate the current project, the hotel is planning to excavate 16,000 cubic meters of sand from an active sandbank located at the western end of the property.

The hotel claimed this sandbank, located at the end of a sedimentary route, is an ideal source for beach replenishment without negatively affecting neighboring beaches.

Although previous efforts to combat beach erosion between 1996 and 2002 included small offshore reefs and gabion mattresses, the hotel asserts these measures provided only temporary relief.

The Ministry of Environment has stipulated 35 conditions for the project, including an obligation for the hotel and its consultants to formulate and execute a new seagrass restoration plan over the next decade.

Source: l’Express