The Environment Agency (EA) wants to hear residents’ views on major new plans to protect hundreds of homes between Emsworth and East Head in West Wittering from flooding.

The aim is to strengthen the coastline where needed at Thorney Island, Southbourne, Nutbourne, Chidham, Bosham, Fishbourne, Birdham and West Itchenor.

The EA is now looking in more detail at this generally low-lying area which includes substantial areas of farmland on reclaimed intertidal marshes.

Chairman of Emsworth Flood Action Group Chris Clode said: “Any money that can be provided is very welcome. Indeed it is bound to benefit those people in the properties affected, particularly around the East Head area.”

Andrew Gilham, area flood and coastal risk manager for the EA, said: “With our climate changing and sea levels rising, the risks and the number of people affected is likely to increase.

“We have to take a long term view of flood and erosion management for all our coastline, including this stretch.

“We cannot prevent all flooding and erosion but local knowledge and input from communities, as well as other organisations, is important in helping us investigate the best way to manage these risks.”

The Emsworth to East Head Flood and Coastal Risk Management Strategy forms the eastern frontage of Chichester Harbour from Emsworth Yacht Harbour to Ella Nore Lane, West Wittering.

During the summer, the EA will contact local parish councils and landowners to discuss the flood and erosion risks in the area.

Feedback received will be used to help identify what potential flood and coastal risk management options should be considered.

When the potential management options have been identified, public exhibitions will be held to present the draft options to the community and to invite further comments for consideration in defining draft strategy recommendations.

Works on flood defences in West Wittering were given the go ahead by the EA in May this year as part of the Pagham to East Head coastal defence strategy.

Communities are encouraged to find out more about the strategy by visiting www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/129683.aspx and further information about the North Solent SMP can be found at www.northsolentsmp.co.uk.

To submit comments and to be kept informed of progress with the strategy, please email the project team at ems2eh@environment-agency.gov.uk or contact 0370 8506506.

For more general information on how to prepare for flooding and the latest flood warnings in force visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk or ring Floodline on 08459 881188.

A flood fair is taking place on July 25 at the Mountford Rooms at the Emsworth Community Association building behind the Emsworth Museum in North Street. The free exhibition takes place between 3pm and 7pm.

Story in the Chichester Observer

HUNDREDS of homes in Aberaeron and New Quay will be lost to the sea if action is not taken now to protect them over the next hundred years, a shock new report warns.

Ceredigion Council is currently consulting on the latest Shoreline Management Plan, which seeks to address the challenges caused by rising water levels. The report predicts a two-metre rise over the next 50 to 100 years leaving residents in New Quay making a desperate plea for action to prevent their homes crumbling into the sea as a result of cliff top erosion.

Story on the Cambrian News website

RESIDENTS will get a glimpse of what Sidmouth’s coastline could look like in the next 20 to 100 years next month.

Specially commissioned computer-generated images will feature in a special exhibition aimed at highlighting the causes of coastal change- and how erosion might affect the town in the future.

The event, at Kennaway House on Thursday, July 21, from 10am to 8pm, will give visitors the chance to see what Sidmouth’s Jurassic Coast may look like in 20,50 and 100 years time.

They can also find out how other communities have adapted to changes.

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for the Environment, said: “Communities along the Jurassic Coast have lived with the impact of erosion, storms and rising sea levels for generations.

“These risks are only going to increase in the future, so it is important we continue to work together with residents and visitors to develop options to adapt to the threat of coastal change.

“I would encourage everyone to come along to this exhibition and see how the coastal erosion may affect them in the future.”

Story by Stefan Gordon in the Sidmouth Herald

LLANDUDNO is at ‘high risk’ of flooding in the next 50 years unless work is taken to strengthen sea defences, new research shows.

It is believed that sea level rises could hit parts of the town in the future unless flood defence works are implemented.

Last week, residents in Llandudno met to discuss plans as part of the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP). The multi agency backed scheme outlines measures to tackle the threat of sea level rise and assess the risks of sea erosion to the coastline.

Dyfed Rowlands, Conwy County Council’s environment manager said: “The flood risk doesn’t look too bad at the moment but in the future, certainly with the impact of climate change and sea levels rising we should be thinking what should be done for the future,” he said.

“Any storm could overwhelm our sea defences. We are fairly well defended at the moment, but we are going to have more storms in the future at shorter intervals which will cause flooding.”

Long term plans could include extending the rock defences on the West Shore. Other options could see sand dunes extended as a natural defence for flooding.

He added that sea level rise could also cause water to come from underground through the sewers, but he believes it was not likely to cause ‘extensive’ damage.

Cllr Jason Weyman said that Llandudno was marked as ‘very high risk’ in the plans.

“If nothing is done in Llandudno it could be hit in 50 to 100 years by sea levels rising one or two metres. It would not cope with a nominal one metre or potential two metre rise in sea levels over the next 100 years.” he said.

“The plan challenges the thoughts that just building sea walls higher and higher it not a sustainable future. Rather than sea views, residents will end of up with sea wall views.

“In the words of the consultant, if Llandudno was not so important in terms of economics and housing, then the decision would be just to let the sea reclaim it. We have a fair few years until this point but the plans do need some thought on how we deal with the threat.

But despite the consultation, Cllr Weyman added that he was disappointed by the low turnout.

Elsewhere, Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr were considered as part of the proposals.

Have your say on the Shoreline Management Plan at www.westofwalessmp.org.

Story by Rayyan Parry on the North Wales Weekly News website

Story on the News Wales website

Read more about the West of Wales SMP

FLOOD-HIT farmer Rob Keene has questioned a consultation which appears to ignore the high ground of Gloucester’s massive rubbish dump.

The Environment Agency has released details of its plan to manage flood risk around the River Severn.

But Over farmer Rob, whose land flooded in 2007, says no account has been taken of the huge Hempsted tip site which dominates the landscape south of the Lower Parting.

The tip site grows ever higher, and is well above the level of the river and surrounding land – so it would not be able to take floodwater.

But the Environment Agency has marked out an area which could flood, and that area includes the tip.

“The whole thing kind of makes sense if the tip wasn’t there,” said Rob. “I know people are concerned about it and its been brought up with the EA. The repercussions for this area are really serious.”

Swamped

The EA said the tip site had been taken in to account, and the map used in the consultation document was for illustration purposes only.

But Rob said the Hempsted tip would cause a flood bottleneck as well, and its potential effect on worsening the flood risk should not be underestimated.

“There isn’t much chance of moving the tip but it seems unfair that farmers’ land is being used as a flood storage area to reduce the flooding possibility in Gloucester.

“If we are taking water on our land to save people’s homes, I accept that, but they are not taking notice of the problems the tip causes.”

He added that a plan to raise a new stadium for the Gloucester City football ground would cause further problems.

During the floods of 2007, which saw more than 5,000 homes under water, and 135,000 without drinking water, Mr Keen’s farm lost many crops.

“It was devastating,” he said. “We had 350 acres submerged. It was just a nightmare in terms of the crops we lost and the retail trading we didn’t have.”

The EA’s Managing Flood Risk on the Severn Estuary brochure ties in with the recently published Shoreline Management Plan (SMP), which provides a framework for managing issues around the Severn Estuary including flood risk.

“It is important for us to be able to plan ahead for the challenge that climate change presents of rising sea levels,” said Anthony Perry, area flood risk manager.

The SMP and the Severn Estuary Strategy are intended to help councils, landowners and others to work with the EA to adapt to climate change in the coming decades.

Consultation closed on April 4.

An EA spokeswoman said: “The modelling and assessment for the Severn estuary strategy did take into account the raised ground of Hempsted landfill site.

“The map shown in the brochure was for illustration purposes only.”

Story on the This is Gloucestershire website

FLOOD and coastal erosion risks in shoreline areas will be outlined in a series of public exhibitions in March.

The Environment Agency will invite Bournemouth, Poole, Wareham and Swanage residents to hear plans for tackling flood and erosion risks over the next century.

The impact of climate change will also be explained, along with various options for managing these risks.

The Environment Agency has been working with authorities on a Flood and Coastal Erosion risk management strategy, covering shorelines and communities from Hengistbury Head to Durlston Head. The public will have the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns on the matter.

The exhibitions will be held at the Community Room, Branksome Dene on March 7, The Lighthouse, Poole on March 8, and the Town Hall, Wareham on March 9.

Story in the Bournemouth Echo

Read the Poole and Christchurch Bays Shoreline Management Plan (Hurst Spit to Durlston Head)

DISAPPOINTMENT has been expressed over a report on plans to manage the coastline between Seaford and Newhaven after the scheme was deemed a ‘low priority’.

The failure to mention the tourism potential and amenity value of Seaford beach was also of concern to town councillors who discussed the document by the Environment Agency (EA).

The Agency recently reviewed a proposal which sets out how flood and erosion will be managed for the next 100 years on the River Ouse – from the A27 road bridge to Newhaven, and the coastline between Newhaven and Seaford.

The Agency predicts that – if no defences are created – then by 2111 up to 1,500 homes will be at risk of flooding and coastal erosion.

The draft Ouse to Seaford Head Coastal Defence Strategy is an update of a report produced in 2006.

Councillor Bob Brown added, “There’s no mention here of tourism as an opportunity at all, nothing encouraging more visitors.

“I think we have some issues to address here.”

The EA has been meeting regularly with representatives from Seaford Town Council and Seaford Community Partnership and this issue will be discussed further at a meeting of the three organisation’s next week.

Jim Skinner, chairman of the Friend of Tide Mills and a member of the Seaford Seafront Theme Group, highlighted that the report mentions the scheme was a low priority in the overall UK wide floodscheme and therefore funding may not be fully available.

The EA added that it would be seeking financial contributions from private organisations in the local area to help secure funds.

Mr Skinner added, “I would also request that there should be a request to record in the plan that the EA will in the future continue to directly involve itself with the local community in at least attempting to develop jointly a better and more self-sustaining management strategy.

“This is important, particularly given the undoubted increasingly unstable and degrading integrity of the beach, which with rising sea levels as accepted by the EA, will have to be built ever higher and therefore steeper if the EA continues with the existing strategy which this document currently recommends.”

The committee will pass its comments on to the EA, including how its expects the beach and town to be protected against the sea as a high priority.

Joe Giacomelli, a spokesman for the Environment Agency, said, “A final decision on the allocation of any monies to Regional Flood Defence Committees will be made in February by the Environment Agency’s Board.

“And decisions on the programmes of schemes to be delivered next year will be made by the regional committees in April.

“Where there are investment choices to be made, we continue to make decisions based on risk to people and property.

“Schemes under construction will continue to be funded and completed.

“Those newly-proposed schemes which provide protection to the most households in relation to their cost, representing the best economic value and protect our environment, are funded ahead of others.

“This ensures that we deliver flood and coastal protection in line with Government expectations that we will provide better protection to 145,000 households over the spending review period.

“Because the overall Flood Defence Grant in Aid allocation is lower this year and a lot of schemes are under construction, this inevitably has an impact on the number of new schemes that are likely to be funded in the year ahead.”

The draft plans are available for comment until Tuesday, February 15, from the EA webpage, www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ousetoseaford

Story in the Eastbourne Herald

Plans to protect 1,500 homes on the East Sussex coast from flooding have been put out for consultation.

The Environment Agency wants to maintain defences along the River Ouse and coastline between Newhaven and Seaford as sea levels rise.

Spokesman Mark Douch said the possibility of restoring a floodplain near Newhaven had been investigated.

But he said that would cause extra water to flow through Newhaven, increasing erosion to river defences.

Mr Douch, flood and coastal risk manager for the agency, said: “With our climate changing and sea levels rising, the risks and the number of people affected are likely to increase.

“We have to take a long-term view of flood and erosion management for this stretch of coastline.

“We cannot prevent all flooding and erosion but we believe what we are proposing in this draft strategy is the best way to manage the risks.”

The Environment Agency said 1,500 homes in low-lying areas would be at risk from flooding and coastal erosion without the flood defences.

People can comment on the draft Ouse to Seaford Head Coastal Defence Strategy until 15 February.

Story on the BBC website

A GREAT deal of work has been done to try to ensure the efficient management of the local shoreline by a number of organisations representing a whole variety of interests.

The North West England and North Wales Shoreline Management Plan 2 final report has recently been published and which covers the whole of the Sefton coastline.

Formby Parish Council took part in the public consultation phase and submitted a response to the draft recommendations.

The consultation which is focused on coastal protection and defences is primarily driven by the local authorities and the Environment Agency and draws up plans to manage the coast for the next 20 years, 20 to 50 years and 50 to 100 years.

The original recommendation for the Formby dunes was that this section of the coast was for ‘no active intervention’.

The definition of that is that no action be taken to maintain existing defences or prevent nature from taking its course where the land is not defended.

The Parish Council took the view that this was unacceptable, given the fact that Sefton Council themselves had taken measures, which we support, to stabilise the dunes, and grants had been received to plan for managing coastal change.

So we are pleased that the final plan announced has been amended to reflect more accurately the measures currently being undertaken, and which we would wish to see continued into the future.

The final recommendation is that the policy for this part of the coast be changed to ‘Managed Realignment’ and which we supported during the consultation.

This policy is for the existing defences to be moved inland in a controlled way managing the sand dunes as they naturally move inland.

Sefton Council and the National Trust in Formby both actively manage the dunes and are working to understand how the dunes adapt.

We would have preferred the full policy to use the words ‘active intervention’ but the final wording has been changed from ‘minimal intervention’ to ‘limited intervention’ by the policy team.

The full policy, which is consistent for all three time periods, reads ‘Managed Realignment will allow the dune system to evolve naturally with limited intervention to manage dunes, and manage adaptation in the erosion risk zone (such as relocating paths and car parks), subject to consents’.

The Parish Council wishes to thank the Coastal Defence Officer for Sefton Council, Graham Lymbery, for his advice and information to support our response and to the local manager of the National Trust Formby, Andrew Brockbank, for his guidance and input at the public consultations and to both parties for continuing to give a high priority to the maintenance of the dune system to continue to protect this sensitive natural environment and the inland assets of the local community.

The Parish Council considers it vital that to continue to monitor the work planned for the coastal area and the flood plain on which we live.

G GASKIN

Deputy Chair, Formby Parish Council

Letter to the Formby Times