EXMOUTH residents get the chance to have their say on major plans that could eventually see Queens Drive ‘moved’ back to combat coastal erosion.

The Shoreline Management Plan is part of a national drive to shore-up Britain’s coastal defences over the next 100-years, and a series of public events will be held in June.

All the agencies involved in coastal management, sea defences and erosion across a 400km section of the South Devon and Dorset Coast are working together. (more…)

THERE’S a clue in the name Langport; the town did indeed once have a port, even though it is situated more than a dozen miles from the sea – and could be renewing its maritime links in the not too distant future if climate change experts meeting in Copenhagen last week are right.

Scientists now believe that global warming will have far more profound consequences on sea levels than had previously been estimated – they are predicting that the planet’s oceans will rise by more than a metre by the end of this century, rather than the half-metre increase they had been working on.

Not only will this have an acute significance for individual communities located at present-day sea levels, but entire areas of the South West peninsula will be in the firing line when it comes to widespread coastal flooding. (more…)

With such a strong national and international focus on the tough economic climate, it would seem attention has, in many quarters, been drawn away from the previous hot topic – climate change.

While the storm clouds of recession have prompted robust remedial action by many authorities, we overlook the longer-term issue of our environment at our peril. This has been driven home this month as Teignbridge, on behalf of 12 local authorities across the South West, led the initial dissemination of findings which will shape the future of our coastline and its communities – the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) 2. (more…)

RAIL bosses have denied there are any plans to redirect train lines in the short term – but did not rule out the possibility in decades to come.

Network Rail are one of the partners involved with the Shoreline Management Strategy, previewed in Exeter this week.

And, if Exmouth and Dawlish Warren’s seafronts were realigned as part of the plan to improve sea defences along the coast, there were concerns that the train lines – which run parallel to the coastline from Exeter towards Plymouth – would be affected. (more…)

From a press release on the East Devon District Council website:

EAST DEVON District Council has welcomed an “informative and thought-provoking” study* of the Exe Estuary that was previewed on Tuesday 18 November.

Councillor Graham Liverton, EDDC’s Portfolio Holder Environment, praised the study, which feeds into the South Devon and Dorset module of the national Shoreline Management Plan** (SMP), and the five stakeholder forums that will open up the issues for public debate. (more…)

QUEENS Drive could be ‘moved’ back to combat coastal erosion and rising sea levels – giving a bigger and better Exmouth beach.

In a possible glimpse of the future, scientists and engineers this week presented suggestions to tackle the ‘inevitable’ damage caused by tidal forces and climate change.

It follows a dire prediction by the Environment Agency in last week’s Journal that, in 100 years’ time, parts of Exmouth could be under three metres of flood water if nothing was done. (more…)

THE seafront and the town up to Phear Park could be swallowed up by the sea in future generations – unless local authorities and the Government take action, climate change experts have warned.

A meeting of the Exe Estuary Forum heard predictions that Devon would be eight per cent drier by 2020 and sea levels could rise between 20 and 80cm by 2080.

This would put low-lying areas of Exmouth town at risk of flooding. (more…)

A CAMPAIGNER has urged residents living along the route of the Exe estuary to offer their views on how money earmarked for flood prevention should be spent.

Anne Marie Morris has called to people to take part in a public consultation process over possible changes to its flood risk investment.

She issued her plea after hearing presentations over the issue of climate change and its effect on the Exe Estuary at a recent event held at Devon County Council. (more…)