Cooden Sea Road in Little Common is expected to fully reopen by Thursday evening after months of disruption caused by a sinkhole which was later found to be more extensive than initially thought, according to a local councillor.
The road, a key route through Little Common and Cooden, has been affected for several months, with one lane restricted while investigations were carried out into the cause of a void beneath the carriageway.
The situation worsened on Tuesday, August 18, when further investigation work by East Sussex Highways found the void had extended beneath the road towards the centre of the carriageway.
As a result, the remaining open lane was closed that evening for safety reasons, leaving Cooden Sea Road completely shut and causing further disruption for residents, businesses and motorists.
Earlier investigations had suggested the problem could be linked to South East Water infrastructure beneath the highway, meaning further checks were required before a permanent repair could take place.
South East Water subsequently confirmed there was no fault with its infrastructure, allowing East Sussex Highways to carry out further investigative work.
Those investigations uncovered the additional void beneath the section of road which had previously remained open.
St Marks ward Councillor Connor Winter says Highways teams are now expected to excavate, stabilise and backfill the affected area, as well as properly fill and reinstate the original sinkhole. Cllr Winter contacted the project lead responsible for the works after receiving concerns from residents about the full closure.
He said he had now been given a commitment that the work would continue and both lanes of Cooden Sea Road would reopen by Thursday evening (20 August) at the latest.
Cllr Winter said: “Residents have put up with this sinkhole and the disruption surrounding it for months, so when I learned that the remaining lane had suddenly been closed, I wanted answers immediately.
“I spoke directly with the project lead and made it clear that residents needed more than another vague timescale. We needed to know why the road had been completely closed, what was being done and when we would get it back.
“I have now received a clear commitment that works will continue and that, by Thursday evening at the latest, the original sinkhole and the newly identified void will have been dealt with and both lanes of Cooden Sea Road will be reopened.
“That is a commitment I will be holding Highways to.”
Cllr Winter said the closure had caused knock-on disruption on surrounding roads because of the importance of Cooden Sea Road as a local route.
He added: “Cooden Sea Road is a major local thoroughfare. Closing it has a considerable impact across Little Common and Cooden, so residents were absolutely entitled to expect answers.
“The important thing now is that after months of uncertainty, there is finally a clear route to getting this resolved. I will continue speaking directly with those responsible and monitoring the works until both lanes are open again.”
