The edge

The magazine of CoastNET Vo l u m e 9 I s s u e 3 Au t u m n 2 0 0 5

Coastal management Relevance Marine aggregate National Trust and

information overload of SMPs dredging coastal defence
 The edge
T h e m a ga z i n e o f C o a s t N E T Vo l u m e 9 I s s u e 3 Au t u m n 2 0 0 5

Contents
6
3 Editorial

4 News

Coastal management Relevance Marine aggregate National Trust and

information overload of SMPs dredging coastal defence

6 Landing the plane

CoastNET’s Network Manager, Theresa
CoastNET – breathing new Redding, takes off through the red tape of
life into coastal matters coastal management policy as she attempts to
find safe landing
Volume 9 Issue 3
Autumn 2005
Defending the coast
8 A natural kind of defence
The edge, is a quarterly magazine, A visit to Abbotts Hall Farm in Essex where a
sent out to all CoastNET members. large scale experiment in coastal realignment
8
and sustainable farming is in full swing
CoastNET is an international
networking organisation that
works with all coastal interests to 10 Head to Head
promote the exchange of ideas,
information and expertise to find Alex Midlen, Chair of CoastNET and David
long term solutions to coastal Green, Head of Infrastructure, Works and
problems that benefit all. Our Engineering at Arun District Council, go head
mission is to safeguard the future to head as they debate the relevance of
of the world’s coastline and those
communities of people and Shoreline Management Plans
wildlife that depend upon it for
their livelihood, enjoyment and
recreation. 12 Viewpoint – Marine aggregate extraction and
coastal protection – threat or opportunity?
Editor: Lesley Smeardon With over 100,000 tonnes of aggregate
Lesley@coastnet.org.uk
Designed by: Cottier& Sidaway needed for every kilometre of motorway built,
12
Printed by: Gildenburgh Ltd
Cover picture: Tim Sidaway
it’s not surprising that the marine aggregate
industry is thriving – but is there a price to
Submissions
To submit an article for publication, please pay for the coast? Andrew Bellamy and Mark
email to the editor saving your submission Russell from the British Marine Aggregate
as a word document. Alternatively, send to
the address below. Letters can be sent to the Producers Association argue for the benefits.
editor but we are unable to acknowledge
receipt. The editor reserves the right to edit
submissions.
13 Viewpoint – Shifting shores
Rob Jarman from the National Trust, explains
CoastNet: 37 High Street,
Rowhedge, the Trust’s new policy on coastal defence
Essex CO5 7ET
Tel/Fax: 01206 728644
Email: admin@coastnet.org.uk 14 Groundworks
Web: www.coastnet.org.uk A regular look at the work of coastal 13
partnerships
CoastNet is governed by an independent
Board of Management and serviced by a
Secretariat. 15 CoastNET events
Registered charity no 1055763
Registered as a company limited by
guarantee, company no 3204452
16 Webwise
The opinions expressed in the magazine are
not necessarily those of CoastNET. A round up of what’s best on the Net for
© CoastNET, 2005
coastal defence

2 The edge Autumn 2005

Editorial
Floods on a biblical scale, disease, poverty, hunger, destruction, death.
Indian Ocean tsunami… or Hurricane Katrina in the USA?
C
oastal management is a
global issue. No, let’s be
more specific; it’s a global
problem. We think we
know the theory, but nowhere has
society got it right. Not in the UK or
the USA, not in Holland or Hong
Kong, not in Aceh or Adelaide, not in
Thailand or Tanzania. First world or
third world, north or south,
democracy or totalitarian state, across
all these divides we share the
difficulties of integrating sectoral
policies, communicating with
stakeholders, and of giving adequate
weight to the importance of the
environment as a source of risk and of
wealth. This edition of CoastNET’s
Bulletin, now named The edge, focuses
on defending the coast against the
mighty forces of nature – forces that
are common the world over.
In the arena of international politics
the inertia of conventions and
protocols limits progress to decadal
timescales. Just look at the pace of
change regarding third world poverty
and climate change… hugely
significant issues for humankind, and
ones which appear weekly on our TV
screens, attracting unprecedented
public support for change. Yet change
happens only slowly, and in fits and
starts.
Has the coast ever a chance of
achieving a similar profile? I think we
can all acknowledge the terrible reality
that disasters raise, but they are but
moments in time and regarded in the
public and political consciousness as,
simply, events. In fact, they are the
result of a systematic failure of
authorities to govern. That is, to
recognise risk and predict impact, to
take a holistic view, to show leadership
and to regulate, and, ultimately, to
protect lives, livelihoods and property.
What can we do to overcome or
reverse this political failure? At the
local level we must all champion
integration of policy, and promote the
development of holistic visions for
coastal regions. These are the basic
tools, and they are simple enough and
perfectly recognisable to anyone in
public service today. At the
international level, we must make
active efforts to share experience,
knowledge and wisdom, and to work
together to lobby governments and
international institutions. At both
levels, many recognise that both
commitment and resources are
lacking. And perhaps there is also a
secret ingredient that’s been
overlooked: the personal energy
required to overcome the inertia of the
system?
In the UK we have a short window of
opportunity, with the forthcoming
Marine Bill, for Government to show
the commitment and to provide the
resources. Then, perhaps, those of us
who struggle to pull all the different
strands of coastal management
together, will have the energy to
continue the battle. It’s got to be worth
the effort – remember, it’s about lives
and livelihoods.
Alex Midlen, Chair of CoastNET
The edge Autumn 2005 3
News
Swept away
Marine Bill
update
Defra is undertaking a series of
three Marine Bill forums for
partner organisations and
stakeholders to discuss
proposals for the long awaited
and far reaching Marine Bill. The
first forum giving a brief
overview of the Bill’s
development took place at the
end of September with the
remaining two events due to take
place late November 2005 and
mid January 2006. The draft Bill
is due to be published no later
than November 2006, and subject
to public consultation with
introduction to Parliament
hopefully sometime during 2007.
Further information on the Marine
Bill can be found on the Defra
website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/
environment/water/marine
4 The edge Autumn 2005
Coastal planning
on the agenda?
With the announcement in March
that Policy Planning Guidance (PPG)
25 on development and flood risk is
to be strengthened, there is yet to be
any news of a likely review of the
planning policy on coastal planning
(PPG 20) originally published way
back in Sept 1992. Surely after 13
years there is argument for a
revision of what must now be a
policy of limited use, overshadowed
by subsequent Government plans,
guidance and legislation. Currently
the Office for the Deputy Prime
Minister (ODPM) has no plans for
any revision.
Tim Sidaway
Stark reminder of the power and
force of the sea. Artist Bettina
Furnae set 38 flags spelling out ‘
Submission is advancing at a frightful
speed’ along an 80 metre stretch of
coast at Bawdsey, the farthest being
14 metres away from the cliff edge. A
camera recorded the daily level of
erosion and in September, only eight
months into the project, just two flags
remained. As Furnae commented: “we
knew this stretch of coastline was
eroding fast but even local people
didn’t expect it to be so quick. We
planned for this to be a year-long
project but barely half way through
we have lost 12 metres of this
coastline.” Full details of the project
can be found at www.ifever.org.uk
Cornwall beach
and dune audit
given funding
The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Coastal Group has recently been
awarded Defra funding to undertake
a beach and dune study covering the
1,300 hectares of sand dune habitat
around the Cornish coastline.
Amounting to 15 per cent of Britain’s
sand dune complexes, this habitat
provides an effective coastal defence
for Cornwall. The study aims to
identify a range of typical beach-
dune systems and the pressures
upon them from coastal processes.
Recommendations will form a best
practice management guide that can
be applied to similar beach/dune
systems throughout the UK. The
project is expected to start in 2006
with completion in 2007.
For further information contact
Project Manager, Martin Clemo at
Restormel Borough Council:
mclemo@restormel.gov.uk
News
Tsunami update Defending the coast
Nine months on from the Asian tsunami disaster, a number of projects are
now being funded to restore or develop the mangrove and coral reefs in an
– by numbers
effort to prevent the level of devastation experienced in December.
The ability of natural coastal Action Project, in partnership with 500-1,000 billion
ecosystems to mitigate the effects of local organisations, is restoring the the value, in Euros, of
natural phenomena, such as the hydrology along the coast and economic assets at risk of
tsunami is widely known. In Aceh, replanting mangrove trees where erosion and flooding within
Sumatra where mangrove clearance needed. The NGO is also calling on 500 metres of EU coastline.
had been considerable, with two- aid agencies and governments to (Eurosion)
thirds of the original area lost, the back a plan to re-establish protective
natural protective buffer against wind mangrove greenbelts along those 3.2 billion
and wave that mangrove systems otherwise denuded coastlines which amount, in Euros, of public
provide was badly missed during the will face future disasters if left expenditure dedicated to
tsunami. Areas with dense unprotected. coastline protection in Europe
mangroves suffered fewer human against the risk of erosion and
casualties and less damage. And in Tamil Nadu, India, and in flooding in 2004. (Eurosion)
Galle, Sri Lanka the Project Aware
Now a number of mangrove Foundation is funding mangrove 70 million
restoration projects are underway. In development and restoration the number of people living in
Sumatra, Indonesia, The Mangrove projects. EU coastal municipalities.
(Eurosion)

CoastNET news 40,000

the number of hectares of
Engaging the public – coastal workshops Essex saltmarsh that existed
before sea walls were built.
CoastNET is organising a series of messages to convey to the public, the Today, this figure stands at
regional workshops for coastal practit- identification of target audiences and 2,500 ha.
ioners to share ideas on how best to the stumbling blocks for achieving (Essex Wildlife Trust)
engage the public in coastal issues. good practice.
65 the percentage of people in
Our workshops will combine Delegates will also be provided with England, Wales and Northern
presentations and facilitated concrete resources and activities to Ireland who regard visits to
discussions in the exploration of good take away and use in their work. The the coast as important to
practice in public engagement, with workshops will be taking place towards their quality of life. (National Trust)
additional discussions on the key the end of 2005 and into early 2006.
64 the number of metres of
If you are interested in attending one of the workshops, contact Erin coastline that has receded in
Pettifer: Tel 01206 728644 or Email erin@coastnet.org.uk six years at Winterton, near
Great Yarmouth, UK.
(BBC news online)
Corepoint meeting
From the end of 2004 CoastNET became one of the partners in a large EU
33 the percentage of English and
project named Corepoint (COastal REsource POlicy INTegration). Led by
Welsh coastline protected by
the Coastal and Marine Resources Centre from University College Cork
artificial defences.
(Friends of the Earth)
there are 11 other partners involved, including six universities, two
councils and two organisations spanning eight EU countries. Corepoint
objectives include establishing NW Europe as an internationally-
20 the percentage of European
recognised region of excellence in coastal management. Part of the
shoreline facing serious
project aims to establish a NW Europe Coastal Resource Centre and as
coastal erosion in 2004.
(Eurosion)
part of this, CoastNET is developing the coastal web portal as a platform
from which to launch the resource centre (see Vol 9, issue 2 of Bulletin for
more information about the portal).
The edge Autumn 2005 5
Landing
the plane
With the many initiatives, policies, consents and plans that exist for coastal
management, working towards ICZM can seem as difficult as landing a plane that’s
being directed in by several air traffic controllers at once. CoastNET’s Network Manager,
Theresa Redding, attempts to find safe landing.

management, ICZM or ICM. Today, sustainable. Right now of course the

C
onsider for a moment …
with the review of the LUP
system and the debate on
the development of MSP,
what happens when the two systems
meet and will this be directed by a
new MA? Does the MCA get left out in
the cold and will SMPs be necessary or
will they be superceded by another
initiative under the new MB? In
addition whatever will happen to
NTZs and SACs, MPAs not to mention
PPGs (now PPSs), NPPGs and TANs
…………..are you still with me?
There are nearly as many buttons,
levers and lights in the cockpit of an
Airbus, as there are acronyms,
projects, and ideas relating to coastal
landing a plane seems like a piece of
cake compared with finding your way
around the issues, initiatives, policies,
Bills and consents process all related to
managing the 19,000 miles of coast
around Great Britain and its islands.
With the effects of climate change
upon us, so very visible in coastal areas
given tsunamis, hurricanes, sea level
rise and the resulting physical changes
and loss of life that have occurred,
many now consider that defending the
coast is of supreme importance.
However it’s not that simple and issues
related to the coast are complex,
requiring integrated and far-sighted
management to ensure they are
word on the street is ‘Marine Bill’,
although no-one is yet sure what these
words will really mean to the coastal
management world and ICZM.
Development of ICZM
With the coast being given a
higher profile by the EU (with the
Demonstration Programme on
ICZM report and the subsequent
ICZM Recommendation, the Water
Framework Directive, the Habitats
Directive to name only a few)
Government had no option but to
respond. And respond it did, initiating
a flurry of activities and reports,
sending the world of coastal
management into information

6 The edge Autumn 2005

 Perhaps we need to take ICZM down to its most fundamental
level and look at exactly what we are trying to manage. This
must be human activities on the coast – and the list is long.
overload. Now, there is a plethora of
information relating to the coast and
its management, in reports, research
papers, books and guidance notes –
enough to bury a Boeing. It’s almost
impossible for a mere mortal to
get hold of all these documents let
alone read, understand, cogitate and
digest it all.
The historical aspects of how and
where the UK is today in terms of
ICZM, can be found in a clear and
concise report by S Gubbay (2002)
which can also be found on our
website: www.coastnet.org.uk under
Publications. The main conclusions
from this report recognised that
progress in ICZM (or ICM) had been
mainly through initiatives undertaken
by coastal fora and other adhoc
projects which were not carried out
under a statutory framework and
therefore not part of any long term
strategy. Work on ICM under the
devolved administrations and in
England has been carried out in
variable ways and under fairly
different timescales. This is due to
the low political profile as well as
limited funding and statutory support
for ICM.
Managing the land-sea
interface
Since 2002, the completed National
Stocktake concluded that, in terms of
implementing the eight principles of
ICZM, there was ‘a mixed and
inconsistent approach’ and that a
mechanism planning for the land-sea
interface was lacking. While marine
spatial planning may have a role in
the decision making process on the
use of the sea, what happens when
marine spatial planning meets the
revised land use planning system?
Hopefully the Marine Bill will take this
into account. There are now calls
from a wide variety of voices for
various inclusions into the Marine
Bill (for example, the Marine Bill
Bulletin – Wildlife and Countryside
Link, August 2005) and all these need
to be considered. So where should it
all start?
Perhaps we need to take ICZM down
to its most fundamental level and
look at exactly what we are trying to
manage. This must be human
activities on the coast – and the list is
long. A recent CoastNET workshop
for coastal and estuary partnerships
(March 2005) identified various
coastal activities. These could be
separated into those managed under
the land use planning system, those
falling under the Water Framework
Directive, those which could be
managed under marine spatial
planning as well as those which lay
outside all these categories. The
workshop concluded that the coast is
a unique resource, spanning the land-
sea interface, which needs special
consideration in terms of
management systems. At present the
management of coastal activities is
confusing and the need for a clear
system, supported by a statutory
framework was a popular call. There
was also clear indication that coastal
and estuary partnerships could play
an important role in integrating
policy and practice but only with
greater statutory support. The report
and conclusions drawn can be found
on www.coastnet.org.uk under
Publications.
So what hope is there for ICZM?
• The new land use planning system
should provide for better
integration at the land-sea
interface ie terrestrial activities
(include those at the coast)
• The Marine Bill should provide for
better integration at sea, ie marine
activities
The interface between the two systems
(wherever this is…) must be managed
through partnership working (not just
through coastal and estuary
partnerships ). The Water Framework
Directive, which also spans the land-
sea interface in its aspirations, is
another complication that needs to be
added to the equation and dealt with
through the partnership approach.
Clearly, for true integration, these
partnerships must be multi-sectoral.
Of course, even with both systems
in place and a partnership approach
which is centrally supported,
integration will never be deliver-
ed unless those charged with
implementing both systems
understand the need for, and the
benefits of, integrated management
and put systems in place at the local,
regional and national level. The
Marine Bill must ensure that both a
partnership approach and new
planning systems are both supported
and implemented; then perhaps, and
only perhaps, we can land the plane.
The edge Autumn 2005 7
C Gomersall
A natural kind of defence
How might managed realignment work in practice and what are the real benefits of the
approach? A trip to Abbotts Hall Farm may provide some answers, says Lesley Smeardon
I
t’s a typical late summer’s day on
an Essex farm. High, wispy clouds
meld into the blue sky, with only
the occasional plane flying
overhead to disturb the idyllic
skyscape. A mesh of farm tracks criss-
cross the 700 acre farm, while sheep
lazily munch their way through the
abundance of grass. Intermittently,
collared doves burst out from bushes
filled with ripening blackberries and
crickets buzz in the reedy grass nearby.
And out in the distance, a mass of
intertidal saltmarsh sprouts on what
was once agricultural land, flourishing
from the new blanket of seawater now
bathing this land. For this is no
ordinary farm in Essex. This is Abbotts
Hall Farm, a large scale, high risk
experiment in coastal realignment and
sustainable farming.
The project beginnings arose out of a
need for a less expensive solution to
coastal defence than the existing
policy of repair to the crumbling sea
walls which currently protect most of
the 400 miles of Essex coastline. “The
8 The edge Autumn 2005
cost of sea wall repair here is
astronomical, not to say politically
unacceptable and an alternative
solution was needed”, says Graham
Game, Development Manager with
the Essex Wildlife Trust – the NGO
that owns and manages the farm.
“The Environment Agency, having
already piloted a couple of small-scale
coastal realignment schemes in the
area were looking for a test site much
larger. At the same time we were
considering sustainable solutions to
the flooding problem, keen to stop
talking about how landowners should
manage their land but to put in
practice a working, successful model.
When Abbotts Hall came up for sale, it
provided a perfect test site, bought by
us in 1999 along with partnership
organisations: WWF-UK, English
Nature, the Environment Agency, and
Heritage Lottery Fund.”
Today, the sea wall has been breached
in five places, allowing the tide in and
out which has successfully encouraged
coastal marshes to grow on the 200
acre strip of arable land behind the sea
wall. The saltmarsh as well as creating
a wildlife haven now exists as a natural
flood barrier. “We were giving back an
area of saltmarsh that had disappeared
over years, a victim of ‘coastal squeeze’
caused by the harsh sea wall defence”,
adds Game.
Good for wildlife, good
for people?
While the saltmarsh is undoubtedly
good for wildlife, supporting a wide
range of birds, plants and fish, how
popular is the project among the local
community and its fishing and oyster
industries? “One of the biggest
concerns prior to the sea wall breach
came from local oystermen and
fishermen regarding sediment flow
and suspended sediment damaging
the often fragile habitats of fish and
oyster”, says Game. “Key to the
project’s success was involving this
community from day one who, while
sceptical, were open to the
experiment. Intensive monitoring
including sensors put along the
 “The project beginnings arose out of a need for a less expensive
solution to coastal defence than the existing policy of repair to
the crumbling sea walls which currently protect most of the
400 miles of Essex coastline”

estuary and Salcott Creek and tweaks
to the system, such as putting ledges
up to control tidal speed have meant
that local fishermen and oystermen
have not experienced any decline in
their catches. As well as these local
industries, we have also ensured that
the parish council is represented on
our management committee.”
Farming the land
While the local fishing industries may
have been won over by the
experiment, what about the county’s
landowners who perhaps stand to lose
the most from such schemes? Here,
demonstrating new profit-making
options was key. Schemes, such as
harvesting sea asparagus, otherwise
known as samphire, and selling to up-
market restaurants in London as well
as local delis has demonstrated that
harvesting technique is low impact,
handpicked by volunteers”, says Game.
“Not only have we shown a market for
the samphire but we have tapped into
an existing fishing supply chain,
putting the picked samphire on the fish
lorries for delivery.”
But what of these landowners who are
not blessed with the grants and
volunteers that the Essex Wildlife Trust
have? As Game replies, “we’ve had
landowners visit the site and enthuse
about what we’re doing here but always
the same question is asked: where do I
get the money from to do this?”
And there’s the rub. While Abbotts Hall
has provided a fantastic large scale
experiment demonstrating the benefits
that can be had from managed
realignment, landowners need to have
of coastal flood defence funding, the
total costs to Government of managed
realignment in suitable areas must be
more favourable than the bottomless
pit of coffers needed for ongoing sea
wall repair. Perhaps, in time, the
political will for a lower cost coastal
alternative to hard sea wall defence in
those areas suitable for such an
approach will become evident. In the
meantime, Abbotts Hall Farm
continues to do what it does best:
demonstrating to all who wish to see,
a low cost, natural flood defence
method that has the backing of both
local community and industry.
Abbotts Hall Farm is situated in the centre of a 25
km section of Essex coast between the Colne Estuary
and the Blackwater Estuary. For more information
about the project contact the Essex Wildlife Trust:
Tel 01621 862960 or email: admin@essexwt.org.uk

there are other markets out there to be access to realistic compensatory

capitalised on. “The season for payments to help them to create such
samphire is short, between the end of schemes. If seen, not as yet another Brent geese on the flooded saltmarsh
June and mid August and the landowner subsidy, but as one vital part at Abbots Hall.

C Gomersall

The edge Autumn 2005 9

Head to Head
Should Shoreline Management Plans be scrapped in favour of a more
integrated spatial planning framework?

Yes
Alex Midlen, Chair of
No
David Green, Head of
CoastNET – SMPs should Infrastructure, Works and
be superseded by an Engineering at Arun District
integrated planning system Council – SMPs provide a valuable tool in
where planners and engineers their own right and valuable background
work closely together at the documentation to the local development
outset. framework.

The new planning
AM system, being
emented through the Planning and
impl-
Compulsory Purchase Act 2004,
provides a radically different
approach to planning. Rather than
just allocating land and setting
policies to guide the development of
that land, it enables policy-makers to
consider the wider spatial impacts of
human activity and to make policies
that are not reliant on the granting of
planning permission for their
implementation. This is particularly
significant in relation to the coast.
The only statutory plan for the coast
is the land use plan (with the
exception of European Marine Site
Management Schemes, but they are
linked to local authority planning
responsibilities). In the past their
scope has been limited, and they have
failed to deal adequately with many
of the impacts of human activity on
the coast. This is particularly the case
with coastal erosion and coastal
flooding risk.
So will the new planning system make
any difference? I believe it will if we are
bold in our thinking and ambitious in
what we do. In relation to erosion and
flood risk I think we should be using
the new planning system directly to
plan for coastal defence and coast
protection, rather than take a round-
about route through Shoreline
Management Plans (SMPs). One of the
enduring problems of this two-stage
approach is a cultural one, with
engineers preparing SMPs and
planners charged with translating this
into a planning context. Like any two
professions, they speak a different
language and this presents significant
barriers to integration. So let's scrap
SMPs and get the engineers directly
involved in the local development
frameworks, working closely with
planners from day one.
We are working very closely
DG with our planning policy
unit here at Arun on the Local
Development Framework (LDF) and I
would have to disagree with you.
The SMP has been one of the
mainstay policies that our planners
use to establish future changes to
our coastline. In addition they are
looking at the strategic approach to
fluvial/land drainage flooding for
new development areas. This new
work will inform the LDF process
when complete.
What I believe our planners find
more of a challenge is the difficulty
they experience in apprehending
what policies they should include
in the LDF. This is particularly so
when advising developers on
sustainable policies on where not
to develop in future years or where
there is development now that
should not be developed in the
future. This has become extremely
difficult for them as the LDF is
reviewed on a three-yearly cycle.
Hence there is time to adapt to
change in later years and not in the
initial LDF.

10 The edge Autumn 2005

I also sit on a regional group for
preparation of the Regional South
East Plan. We have discussed the
same issues for the coast over the
next 20 years and although they
understand the problem still find it
difficult to put into practice hard
policies in their implementation plan
and have therefore left it to the LDFs!
So you can see this is very much a
live issue and one that is
underpinned by the SMP. I still
believe that the SMP is a very sound
document that considers climate
change over the next 100 years and
one that should be included as
background documentation to the
LDF.
The points you raise over
AM the difficulty of turning
the SMP proposals into LDF or
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)
policies surely strengthens the case
for doing what the SMP does as part
of the planning process, rather than
as a separate bolt-on activity?
Looking at Government guidance (eg
PPG 25) and what is coming through
in the first round of RSSs, there is a
danger that planning units will forge
ahead with policies concerning flood
risk based on strategic flood risk
assessments alone. While this should
reduce new development in flood risk
areas, it does not bring the
requirement for land for managed
realignment in flood risk areas, or for
set back zones in eroding coasts into
the planning process.
Another concern I have with the SMP
process being outside the planning
process, is that the recommendations
for an SMP may be considered by a
planning authority alongside other
contrasting pressures and proposals,
and inevitably a balance is struck
which does not fully recognise the
inevitability of physical change on
the coast. The point you make about
timescales is particularly relevant
here – LDFs only look at a 10 year
timescale. The impact of 10
compromises in the 100 year
time frame applied to shoreline
management will significantly
compound the problems we are
trying to avoid.
So I still maintain that the future for
the management of coastal erosion
and flood risk should be as part of the
new spatial planning framework,
rather than having its own policy
framework which inevitably sets it
apart from the mechanism (spatial
planning) which is fundamental to its
implementation.
Where I believe there may
DG be some difficulty is that the
LDF is being reviewed on a three year
timescale and planners are finding it
difficult to accept change readily
particularly where they are still
responding to earlier SMP advice.
The SMP (2) will incorporate adaptive
strategies over three epochs of a total
of 100 years. This is the best
opportunity that we all have to cope
with climate change in the coastal
zone. Planners also consider that as
the SMP is not a statutory document,
they do not need to consider directly
at this time SMP (2) implications that
will ultimately blight either new or
older development of their area in the
two later epochs. This situation I
believe is changing very slowly.
I do, however, believe that although
there is some resistance from
planners, their LDFs are reflecting the
need for change particularly where
there is an SMP (2). Currently, there
are only three pilots at present, where
a firmer message can be given to
authorities. I have in our own case
managed to get the planners to
accept that any changes from the
amended PPG 25 due out this
autumn should be incorporated
within the LDF prior to consultation.
I certainly accept your statements
made on timescales and the inclusion
in the spatial planning frameworks. I
have been working hard with SEERA
(South East England Regional
Assembly) who have now
acknowledged the need for set back
and the need for development zoning.
The spatial plan for the South East has
now been submitted after a
consultation period to the ODPM
(Officer of the Deputy Prime Minister)
for approval.
An interesting response.
AM From what you say it seems
that the planners you work with are
taking your advice on board, but only
up to a point, and are doing it more
because of your own efforts and
persistence rather than as a matter of
course.
The planning system and those who
run it are very good at doing what
they have to do, but less good at
integrating with others. Would it not
improve life for you, and your
colleagues around the country, if SMPs
were supported not only by Defra
policy, but also by an SDD
(Supplementary Development
Document) on managing coastal
erosion and coastal flooding risk? In
this way planners would be obliged to
incorporate it fully into local
development frameworks, and
considering these issues would
become an integral part of spatial
policy development.
I think that would make your life a lot
easier, and produce a better outcome
with regard to spatial policy.
I absolutely agree with your
DG comments. One way forward
would be to include reference to SMPs
in the reworked PPG 25 as an accepted
document by planners. I believe this
approach would answer all our
questions!.
Do you have a coastal issue you’d
like to debate? If so, contact the
Editor: Lesley@coastnet.org.uk
The next issue will discuss, climate
change and the coast.
The edge Autumn 2005 11
viewpoint
Marine aggregate extraction
– an opportunity, not a threat
With 22 million tonnes of marine sand and gravel dredged from
British waters every year, the marine aggregate industry is big
business. Andrew Bellamy and Mark Russell from the British
Marine Aggregate Producers Association urge the coastal
community to see the opportunities.
W
ith the recent attention
given to climate change
and the associated
factors of sea level rise
and increased storminess, it’s easy to
forget that the coastline of Britain has
been under attack from the natural
elements for many thousands of years.
The supply of marine dredged
aggregates has been one potential
solution to recent coastal change.
Benefits are very simple – firstly large
volumes can be pumped ashore over
short timescales without the need for
fleets of lorries. Secondly, marine
sediments can be selected to closely
match the pre-existing, or required,
beach sediments in terms of
composition, colour and grading.
Beach replenishment reduces erosion
rates by providing enhanced ‘soft’
protection to cliffs or dunes by raising
the level of a beach above high tide
and storm surge levels. This provides
additional flood defence for low lying
land beyond the coast as in
Lincolnshire and Norfolk, and also an
opportunity to enhance or restore the
amenity value to a stretch of coastline,
eg Eastbourne. But without the
availability of licensed reserves of
marine sand and gravel, none of these
benefits could be realised.
A causative factor of coastal
change?
There is a perception that marine
aggregate dredging is in fact a
causative factor of coastal change and
while poorly-controlled dredging
activity can cause effects at the
coastline, the British industry is
subject to comprehensive regulation
based on the precautionary principle.
All dredging licence applications
require an environmental impact
assessment to be completed, part of
12 The edge Autumn 2005
which includes a coastal impact study.
This involves tidal current and wave
height modelling using worst case
assumptions, determination of
sediment mobility and linkages to the
coast as well as an assessment of the
potential for beach drawdown. These
studies make recommendations for
monitoring and mitigation and a
licence will not be granted if significant
impacts on the coast are predicted.
The dredged marine aggregate deposits
are unrelated to coastal sediments and
coastal processes. Most were formed
during the Pleistocene Ice Ages when
sea level was 50 – 100 m lower than
present exposing the continental shelf
in a cold, arctic climate. Deposits off
southern Britain occur as river valley
infills and terraces, while further north
glaciation produced sands and gravels
in channels and basins. These fossil or
‘relict’ sediments have remained
immobile since their formation over
10,000 years ago, and are not part of
the coastal sediment system. Once
extracted they will not reform and their
removal leaves shallow depressions in
the seabed typically 2 – 6 m deep and
1 – 2 km long, depending on the
thickness and extent of the resource.
Monitoring surveys of bathymetry and
sediment transport processes
demonstrate that the dredged
depressions do not infill with modern
sediments. Instead, bedforms simply
travel across these low relief features.
A common perception is that by
deepening the seabed, beaches inshore
will be drawn down into the dredged
depression. Extraction, however, takes
place over 5 miles offshore in water
depths of between 10 and 40 m, well
seaward of the coastal zone where
beach drawdown could occur.
Marine aggregate dredgers have the
ability to supply very large volumes
of marine sand and gravel directly to
coastal frontages, by pumping the
material ashore.
A further perception is that wave and
heights and energy at the coast will
increase as protective banks are
removed by dredging. In reality, the
seabed in most dredging areas is flat
and in waters too deep to affect waves
passing over them. In shallower waters
or on nearshore sandbanks,
bathymetric and in some cases coastal
monitoring takes place as a licence
condition and dredging depth
restrictions can be imposed as a further
safeguard.
The modern marine aggregate industry
has already made a significant
contribution to Britain’s coastal
defence over the last decade, with
schemes such as Lincshore,
Happisburgh – Winterton, Eastbourne
and Hurst Spit, Hampshire. Against a
background of further coastal change,
there will be a continuing requirement
for beach replenishment sources in the
future. As a well regulated and
managed industry, the marine
aggregate sector is able to meet these
needs in both an environmentally
acceptable and sustainable way.
The British Marine Aggregate Producers Association
(BMAPA) is the trade association for the UK marine
aggregate sector. Tel 0207 963 8000 Website:
www.bmapa.org
Agree/disagree? Do you have a
point of view you’d like to feature
in The edge? If so, we’d like to
hear from you. Contact the Editor:
Lesley@coastnet.org.uk

Shifting shores
onscious of the immediate
threats to our property
from flooding and coastal
erosion, a coastal risk
assessment has been undertaken on
our behalf by Halcrow and the early
results present striking evidence of the
reality of the changes facing our
coastline. These results are presented
in our new campaigning pamphlet
Shifting Shores (available from the NT
website and has formed part of our
review of coastal policy – so that we
now have a new National Trust
Coastal Policy (see our website).
The work has shown that rates of
coastal erosion are increasing,
probably due to accelerating rates of
sea level rise, and the impacts of sea
level rise extend further inland than
we previously thought, through tidal
influence on rivers and flooding.
The risk assessment indicates that if
we assume no additional and/or no
improvement to existing sea defences,
we can expect to lose land by
erosion from 169 properties along
approximately 377 miles of coastline.
The assessment also suggests that 126
of our properties with land covering
4,040 ha are currently at risk of
flooding from the sea, and a further
33 low-lying properties at risk of
combined tidal and fluvial flooding
within the next 100 years.
We have many conservation assets,
natural and historic, within the
erosion and flooding zones, that
people perceive as ‘irreplaceable’; and
many structures on the shoreline that
are regarded as ‘fixed’ (houses,
holiday cottages, cafes, beach huts,
car parks, coastal path, roads, etc).
In most cases, intervention to prevent
change will damage conservation
interests – and interfere with coastal
processes causing knock-on impacts
within the coastal cell. Our policy is
to work with, enable and free-up
natural coastal processes. We will only
intervene to prevent coastal change at
places where there is a clear need to
Rob Jarman from the National Trust, explains the
Trust’s new policy on coastal defence
Studland beach, Dorset
‘buy some time’ through limited and
‘soft’ intervention. This allows us to
negotiate the longer term position
with specific interest groups and/or
agencies. In these relatively few
instances we may only expect to ‘hold
a line’ for a few decades. A project at
Mullion Harbour (Cornwall) has been
set up with this modus operandi as a
clear objective and Brownsea Island
(Dorset) has already taken this
approach for the sea wall to the
lagoon.
One of our overriding concerns is to be
prepared at every coastal property for
extreme events – storm, surge tide, etc.
We recognise that in most cases this
will be the tipping point to make a
decision to change the coast. We want
to be ready to make that change – so
that on the days immediately after a
severe storm we (and agencies) are not
on the beach putting defences back in
place to reinstate status quo, but
moving on…We have learned some
crucial lessons for this approach from
the Boscastle flood event last year –
and from the Porlock Beach project
from the late 1990s.
There are some places where agencies
or statutes might presume that the
Trust will sustain coast protection,
especially where there are designated
and internationally significant
interests. We shall have to negotiate
changes caused by sea level rise and
erosion/flooding, and we intend to do
viewpoint
Photograph Copyright English Nature
this for most Trust properties within
the context of the new round of
Shoreline Management Plans.
Finally, we know that there are many
places where ‘asset relocation’ will be
necessary: movable elements such as
car parks, beach huts, visitor facilities
should not be resident in the zone of
risk. We are already removing/
relocating such things, as at Studland
beach. Our – and society’s – hardest
task will be to deal with residential
dwellings in the coastal risk zone. We
perceive a growing schism between
haves and have-nots – defined by
those who live in places big or
important enough to draw down
government funds for coast protection
– and those who live in more isolated
coastal areas where previous defences
will not be renewed and coastline
adaptation is policy. We need to
invent new measures to help people to
move and allow the coast to adapt.
Shifting Shores has some crucial points
to make in this regard – we should be
pleased to receive your comments and
suggestions.
Any comments/suggestions
send to Rob Jarman, Head of
Sustainability at the National
Trust Email:
rob.jarman@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The edge Autumn 2005 13
 A regular look at the work of
Groundworks coastal partnerships

Coastal defence
The role of coastal partnerships is not
widely understood, due mainly to the
difficulties in defining and evaluating
their input to projects and the lack of a
nationally-agreed function. Much of
their work falls within the less tangible
remit of facilitating communication
and co-ordination among organisations
and users in the coastal area. But the
importance of their work behind the
scenes should not be underestimated,
particularly regarding current coastal
defence policy, following its shift from
an historical ‘hold the line’ approach to
one that seeks to work with natural
processes wherever possible.
of the Beachy Head to South Foreland
SMP, which is one of the first in the
country. As well as establishing a key
stakeholder forum, a crucial and novel
part of this review was the additional
formation of an elected members
forum comprising elected members
from the relevant operating authorities,
county councils and flood defence
committees. The forum kept members
informed about policy developments
and as such members were more
supportive of the SMP, championing
the consultation draft when it came to
public consultation.
coastal partnerships are playing an
essential role behind the scenes
supporting our nation’s coastal
defence work. In light of all this
wonderful work, isn’t it amazing that
coastal partnerships do not receive any
statutory support from central
government?
Word out
The role of coastal partnerships
Improving communication
“Ensuring local knowledge and opinion
is taken into account in the decision-
making process for flood risk
management schemes, is a key element
of an estuary officer’s role.”
Tammy Smalley, Wash Estuary Project

Staff from UK estuary partnerships are

Raising awareness of Officer

actively involved in the Estuary Flood coastal defence issues “Estuary officers act as a conduit for
Management Strategy (EFMS) processes Individual partnerships have developed information from the steering group
a range of innovative techniques to back down to local estuary groups.”
being undertaken along our coasts.
Beverley McClean, Essex Estuaries
Many project officers are members of raise awareness of coastal defences
Partnership Co-ordinator
the steering groups for these projects issues. The Wash Estuary Strategy
and try to influence strategic decision- Group has undertaken a number of “The fact that estuary partnerships are
projects to champion the fact that the already set up is beneficial to the
making for the better of their estuaries
Environment Agency as they can make
and local communities. As a result of Wash is a highly dynamic system that
use of these established networks…this
this improved communication between needs to function as naturally as means that major consultations can be
the community and external agencies, possible. This includes the recently carried out effectively and efficiently”.
completed joint project with Beverley McClean, Essex Estuaries
the risk of public backlash is greatly
Partnership Co-ordinator
reduced. What’s more, these established Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary where
networks provide a mechanism for on- information regarding issues such as Neutrality
going monitoring and review of policy, coastal squeeze, land reclamation and “If any issues of conflict arise once flood
managed realignment are covered in a management strategies are adopted my
which is permanently in place.
role will be to reconcile them through
series of interpretation boards which
networking and awareness raising…for
Neutrality is also a vital component of can be viewed by the 160,000 or more this it is essential that I remain neutral
a partnership officer’s role and forums visitors that pass through the and therefore approachable”.
Sanctuary’s doors each year. The Carol Starkey, Crouch and Roach Estuary
provide an opportunity for people to
Project Officer
air major concerns about proposed Estuary Planning Partnership (EPP) in
flood management plans. The Forth Suffolk has also produced two excellent
Many thanks to people who
Estuary Forum, for example, was set up plain English guides outlining plans, contributed background
to facilitate discussions about the strategies and the people responsible information or case studies to this
issue: The Wash Estuary Strategy Group,
possibility of managed realignment in for the Alde and Ore estuaries.
Essex Estuaries Initiative, The Crouch and
the area. This helped both the Partnerships are also able to work
Roach Partnership, Forth Estuary Forum,
communities and steering groups to together on more strategic and longer- Kent Coastal Forum, The National Trust,
gain a better understanding of their term aims. The proposal currently Suffolk Coasts and Heaths, The Humber
being put together by the Severn Project, Severn Estuary Partnership.
respective problems. Now, they are
better prepared to implement such Estuary Partnership for funding to look
If you’d like to contribute to
schemes in other sites. at the future of flood defence strategy
Groundworks and highlight the
in light of climate change and sea level important work your partnership
Coastal partnerships have also played rise is such an example. does or to submit a case study
an integral role in the recent Shoreline please contact Erin at
Management Plan (SMP) reviews. In It is clear that throughout the country, erin@coastnet.org.uk. The next
Kent, the South East Coastal Group regardless of previous coastal defence issue of The edge will focus on
climate change.
(SECG) has been overseeing the review methods or the state of the coastline,

14 The edge Autumn 2005

CoastNET events
Shifting sands and
all at sea? –
The planning and regional
agenda around the coast
To all involved in planning and regional
work around the coast – announcing a
workshop you should not miss!
Date: 2 November , 2005
Venue: Trinity House, Tower Hill,
London EC3N 4DH (near
the Tower of London)
Cost: Free to participants
including refreshments
and finger buffet lunch
The revised spatial (land use) planning
system offers a new opportunity to
address coastal issues. At the same
time, the idea of marine spatial
planning is gathering momentum and
the Government has signalled its
intention to include some form of
marine spatial planning in a draft
Marine Bill. There are many reasons to
expect that such a system will impact
significantly on the land use planning
system and may well bring about
changes to what you do as a planner in
coastal regions and to those seeking to
achieve more integrated coastal zone
management.
This workshop has been developed by
English Nature (a member of the
Natural England Partnership which also
includes the Countryside Agency and
the Rural Delivery Service), RTPI and
organised by CoastNET with
encouragement from bodies such as
Regional Assemblies. It specifically
aims to:
• raise awareness and improve
understanding of the changes that
have occurred and that are planned
• highlight potential issues for
planners and regional bodies in
coastal regions in implementing the
new spatial (land use) planning
system and developing marine
spatial planning
• provide planners and regional bodies
with an opportunity to 'have their
say' and highlight any problems,
issues, solutions and to be part of
the process including to inform
current initiatives and projects.
For further information contact
Theresa Redding at CoastNET
on +44 (0)1206 728644 or
theresa@coastnet.org.uk or Lucy
Bannatyne at lucy@coastnet.org.uk
Participatory planning Engaging the public –
& working with natural coastal workshops
processes at the coast Dates: TBC
Date: 19 January 2006 (please Venue: Six different regional
note revised date for this venues in the UK
event, rescheduled from
December 2005) CoastNet is organising a series
Venue: National Institute for of regional workshops for
Marine & Coastal coastal practitioners to share
Management ideas on how best to engage
(RIKZ), The Hague the public in coastal issues.
There will be presentations and
The seas of North West Europe, facilitated discussions in the
especially the southern North Sea exploration of good practice in
and La Manche (the English public engagement and
Channel), are especially vulnerable concrete resources and
to the impacts of climate change. activities they can take away
Sea level rise and increased and use in their work.
storminess, in an already highly
dynamic tidal environment, pose If you are interested in
increased risks to coastal attending one of the
communities from flooding from workshops, contact Erin
the sea and from coastal erosion. Pettifer: Tel 01206 728644 or
How can we adapt to and mitigate Email erin@coastnet.org.uk
risk, respecting both natural
processes and the legacy of
spatial development in our coastal
regions?
The EU-funded Eurosion project
CoastNET Conference
set out to assess the risks to the Programme 2006 – 2007
coasts of Europe and to make
Political systems and spatial planning
recommendations regarding
in NW Europe coastal regions
management policies for erosion
March 06 London
risk. This conference will
showcase examples of the issues
and solutions at the local level
Involving actors and combining
around Europe, and will examine
instruments – making the best use of
the range of policy options
policy tools for coastal spatial
available. An underlying theme of
strategies. June 06 France
the conference will be on the role
of local communities in the
development of appropriate
NW Europe ‘Centre of Excellence’ in
solutions.
ICZM – challenges and opportunities
September 06 Cork
Invitation for submission of
abstracts.
If you would like a copy of the
Water framework directive and spatial
draft programme outlining session
planning on the coast
themes please contact Lucy
December 06 Cardiff
Bannatyne. Please send a half
page abstract of the proposed
presentation by 31 October to
SEA Directive and coastal spatial
Theresa Redding.
strategies. January 07 Newcastle
For further information about
sponsorship and exhibition
opportunities for this event please For further information about any of
contact Lucy Bannatyne. these conferences please contact
Lucy Bannatyne at CoastNET on
+44 (0)1206 728644 or
lucy@coastnet.org.uk
The edge Autumn 2005 15
We b w i s e
The best of the Net on coastal erosion and defence
Europe-wide
www.eurosion.org
The Eurosion project aims to provide
the European Commission with a
package of recommendations for
policy-making and information
management practices to address
coastal erosion in Europe. Its website
contains a wealth of information
relating to European coastal erosion
and defence. Containing a GIS
database, reports online and the
shoreline management guide, the
latter of which contains country by
country reports looking at policy
approaches and defence techniques
and measures taken.
www.coastalguide.org
EUCC (European Union for Coastal
Conservation)
EUCC’s website provides a general
overview looking at types of
approaches to coastal defence and
likely impacts.
http://www.unep.org/
UNEP United Nations Environmental
Programme
http://www.delos.unibo.it/
Outlining a project promoting
environmentally-designed low crested
structures to defend European shores
against coastal erosion and preserve
the littoral environment as well as
coastal economic development. The
project involves 18 partners from
seven European countries and end
users.
Coastal defence techniques
www.georesources.co.uk
GeoResources
Interactive and paper-based resources
for academia
www.geolsoc.org.uk
Geological Society of London
UK national society for geoscience. It
offers news, events, publications and
other resources about coastal defence
among many other subjects.
Academic institutions
involved in coastal defence
research and development
www.idraulica.ing.unibo.it
University of Bologna, Italy
www.ambra.unibo.it/asili/ecolab/page
/ecologia.htm
Fondazione Flaminia, Laboratory of
experimental ecology, Italy
www.civil.auc.dk
Aalborg University, Department of civil
engineering, Denmark
Involved in hydrodynamics, hydraulics,
hydrology, coastal engineering,
offshore engineering and wave energy.
www.isva.dtu.dk
Technical University Denmark,
Coastal and river engineering section,
Denmark
Associated research projects include
exploitation and protection of coastal
zones, Delos, hydrodynamics, surf
and wash zone mechanics.
http://lim-ciirc.upc.es
International Centre for Coastal
Resources Research, Universitat
Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain
The Centre aims to develop and
disseminate tools for coastal zone
management decision making.
www.mba.ac.uk
Marine Biological Association (with
University of Plymouth), UK
A professional body for marine
biologists undertaking a wide range
of research projects.
www.foresight.gov.uk/Previous_Proj
ects/Flood_and_Coastal_Defence
Foresight, UK
Includes a project which developed a
long-term (30 - 100 years) vision for
the future of flood and coastal
defence in the UK. Completed in 2004
This publication is partially funded through
the Corepoint project under the Interrreg 3B
Programme. Corepoint aims to establish
North West Europe as an internationally
recognised region of excellence in coastal
management by encouraging full
implementation of ICZM, highlighting best
practice, providing education by influencing
national spatial policies – for further details
please see http://www.corepoint.ucc.ie