Plans to recycle 15,000 tons of sand and shingle at East Head have been submitted to Chichester District Council (CDC).

The works form part of the Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy which were drawn up by the Environment Agency.

The strategy aims to protect East Head and West Wittering, among other coastlines in the peninsula, from being eroded and flooded in the future.

Recycled material from the north of East Head would be transported to the south to create a bigger barrier and strengthen the coastline. It is hoped that if the plans are approved, the work would begin in March.

John Davis, Chichester Harbour Conservancy master, said: “We are delighted a sensible coastal strategy has been agreed. Now we have to put it into practice.

“It’s part of a sweep of measures which provides immediate strength to the most vulnerable part of East Head and at the Hinge.

“In a big storm it could all go in one night. It is a regional and national asset.”

An adaptive management approach for East Head and West Wittering was chosen by the East Head Coastal Issues Advisory Group which is outlined in the Coastal Defence Strategy.

The group was formed to draw up coastline protection plans for the coastline in East Head and West Wittering.

The adaptive management approach chosen will mean close monitoring of sea levels and adjusting methods on how to protect the land against the sea over a period of time.

West Wittering Parish Council chairman Bob Hutton said: “The land gets taken away by the tide and sand gets brought back.

“More sand will return to the land when the tide comes in. A similar exercise was carried out exactly two years ago and proved successful. There’s quite a lot of work to be done.”

Membership of the East Head Coastal Issues Advisory Group is made up of the Environment Agency, Chichester District Council, Natural England, Chichester Harbour Conservancy, West Wittering Parish Council, the Woodger Trust, West Wittering Estate, Cakeham Manor Estate and the National Trust.

The Harbour Conservancy will act as the contractor to undertake the works on behalf of the group.

Some of the partnership members will fund the works.

To find out more about the plans log on to the planning section of the district council’s website www.chichester.gov.uk and quote the reference number WW/08/05043/REG3. Alternatively, contact the local authority’s planning department on 01243 534734.

Story in the West Sussex County Times