NATURAL England experts have objected to a bid by residents to slow the decline of Sidmouth’s crumbling coastline – because the scheme will halt rapid erosion.

Cliff Road homeowners hope to reach an agreement with the body over their proposals for a £900,000 rock revetment along the base of cliffs near Pennington Point.

A group of residents, turned activists, spent £10,000 on a planning application they think will prevent catastrophic flooding of the town, protect Alma Bridge and the coastal footpath, and save their properties from toppling into the sea.

But Natural England says the proposed rock revetment is in “direct conflict” with a shoreline management plan for the area. (more…)

CAMPAIGNERS behind a petition aimed at saving a historic promenade say they are “very disappointed” they were not allowed to call on councillors for support.

Experts say hundreds of homes on Hartlepool’s Headland, the historic Heugh Gun Battery, St Bega’s Primary School, the lighthouse and the memorial are under threat from coastal erosion within the next 100 years unless millions of pounds is spent on sea defences.

For more information about the campaign please visit http://www.heartlepool.co.uk/ (more…)

CONCERNED residents have launched a petition against coastal defence plans which could see the partial demolition of an historic promenade.

Hundreds of homes on Hartlepool’s Headland, the historic Heugh Gun Battery, St Bega’s Primary School, the lighthouse and the memorial are under threat from coastal erosion within the next 100 years unless millions of pounds is spent on sea defences.

Hartlepool Borough Council brought in Mott MacDonald consultants to examine the first lines of defence and they have put forward four options, three of which include various ways of strengthening the sea wall.

But it is the fourth – and cheapest option – to demolish the sea wall and promenade, adjacent to the Town Moor, that has angered residents. (more…)

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

A CONTROVERSIAL Environment Agency plan to flood land to create a wildlife habitat at Donna Nook has been approved by East Lindsey District Council.

The land in Marsh Lane in North Somercotes will see the Donna Nook-managed re-alignments scheme remove the existing flood defence and replace it with a newly improved flood defence system.

It will change the use of existing agricultural land and be used to form a new embankment to form new wildlife habitats which will include creation of intertidal habitat, islands and creeks.

The final decision made by East Lindsey District Council was a close one with the vote going six to five for the approval of the Environment Agency plans. (more…)

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. (more…)

A scheme to flood 300 acres of farmland in Lincolnshire has been approved by council officials.

The Environment Agency wants to allow the sea into Donna Nook, North Somercotes, as replacement wetland for habitats lost to flood defences nearby.

East Lindsey District Council planning committee approved the application at a meeting on Thursday.

The authority had rejected the plan last June following strong local opposition to the loss of land. (more…)

A £900,000 project to carry out major repair and refurbishment works on Berwick’s 200 year-old pier is about to begin.

The project is being co-ordinated by Northumberland County Council and funded by grant aid from the Environment Agency.

Harbourmaster Duncan Wood said: “I’m thrilled the work is about to start because it’s much needed. The pier is a substantial structure and if it wasn’t there it would have a terrific impact on the lower part of the river.”

The repair work will start in early July and is anticipated to be completed by the end of November. (more…)

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. (more…)

Anglesey residents are being asked to review and comment on a final draft plan to manage the risk from coastal erosion and flooding.

The new West of Wales Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) will define how our coastal defences are managed in the future. It looks ahead for 100 years, addressing the present problems and also the need to plan for increasing uncertainty in future due to climate change, coastal erosion and pressure for change at the shoreline.

It has been developed on behalf of the West Wales SMP Partnership by specialist coastal consultants Royal Haskoning. The draft Shoreline Management Plan documents will be presented at a public exhibition at the Council Chambers, Llangefni on 17th May between 3pm-8pm, where project officers and representatives from the Consultants will be on hand to answer any questions. (more…)