Flood defence work to protect Thanet's coastline for the next 50 years is due to start next week.

The £1.1 million project is funded by the Environment Agency in partnership with Thanet District Council (TDC) and aims to protect vulnerable parts of Ramsgate and Margate.

A wave wall will be installed to protect Granville Marina in Ramsgate and deflect water away from the promenade.

Work is due to take 16 weeks and is improving the existing flood defences along the seafront and along with the 80cm tall wave wall, the face of the seawall will be replaced with new concrete and the groynes will be raised.

The protection to Granville Marina will upgrade the defences to a once in 200 year flooding event.

A refurbishment project in Margate between Westbrook Groyne to Nayland Rock will start on Monday (April 1) to strengthen flood defences along the stretch of coast.

The project includes restoring a dilapidated groyne and the crumbling stone sea wall. Work is expected to last six weeks.

The work in Ramsgate will cost £900,000 boosting protecting for the next half a century while the Margate scheme is costing £180,000.

Mike Humber, head of maritime and technical services at TDC, said: "These schemes are vital to preserve and sustain the sea walls on our award-winning coastline. Some of our coastal defences are quite old and it’s important that we maintain or where necessary, carry out major works to ensure they are able to meet standards for predicted adverse weather in the future.

"Despite causing a small amount of disruption, these schemes will bring significant benefits to the local area.

"Maintaining these flood defences is an important part of ensuring we are doing all we can to protect our residents, local businesses, and visitors from the potential devastating impacts of flooding."

The council is responsbible for managing 16 miles of Thanet's 19-mile coastline and maintains 11 miles of concrete sea walls to protect land from erosion and flooding.

Mark Douch, flood and coastal erosion manager for the Environment Agency in Kent, added: “Helping protect communities like east Kent from flood-risk is a partnership.

"The Environment Agency works with local authorities like Thanet to reduce the chances of flooding to residential and business properties locally, which shows the benefit of agencies handling projects together.

"Part of £2.6bn the Environment Agency is spending on flood and coastal-erosion projects around England, the £1m investment towards the flood defences at Ramsgate and Margate compliments the £5.3m spent on the award winning scheme in Margate in 2012."

The Environment Agency is encouraging people to sign up for its flood warnings service which can be found on the government website.

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet