Coastal Policy

Question 1

In the UK coastal management

Answer 1

overseen by DEFRA. Since DEFRA introduced SMP in 1995, have been only 4 policies available for coastal management, which differ greatly in costs and consequences.

Question 2

No active intervention

Answer 2

= no investment in defending against flooding or erosion, whether or not coastal defences have existed previously, coast can do whatever it wants

Question 3

Strategic realignment

Answer 3

= allow coastline to move naturally but managing the process to direct it in certain areas

Question 4

Hold the line

Answer 4

build to maintian coastal defences so that the position of shoreline remains same over time

Question 5

Advance the line

Answer 5

build new coastal defences on the seawards side of the existing coastline, land reclamation.

Question 6

Making decisions depends on:

Answer 6

• Economic value of assets at risk
• Technical feasibility of engineering solutions
• Cultural or ecological value of land
• Pressure from community and social value of communities

Question 7

Cost benefit analysis e.g. happisburg in north Norfolk

Answer 7

• The policy adapted in this area is ‘no active intervention’, This is because to defend the village would have an impact on the wider coastal management plan.
• Happisburgh would end up as a promontory, blocking longshore drift and causing further erosion downdrift.
- Longer term, the plan is managed realignment, although this would still involve property being lost to the sea by erosion.

Question 8

Costs of erosion

Answer 8

• £160,000 could be available to Manor Caravan Park to assist in relocating to a new site
• Affected residents could get up to £2000 each (a total costs of £40-70,000) in relocation expenses plus the cost to the council of finding plots of land on which to build new houses.
• Grade 1 listed St Mary’s Church and Grade 2 listed Manor House would be lost.
- Social costs as the village is slowly degraded, including health effects and loss of jobs

Question 9

Benefits of erosion

Answer 9

• By 2105, between 20 and 35 houses would be ‘saved’ from erosion, with a combined value of £4 million - 7 million
• 45 hectares of farmland would be saved, with a value of £945,000
• The Manor Caravan Park would be saved, which employs local people.
- The cost of building coastal defences at Happisburgh is around £6 million, very close to the value of property that could be saved, and much higher than the compensation cost payable to local residents.
- Coastal managers argue that Happisburgh must be seen in the wider context of the whole SMP, further justifying the decision not to defend the village

Question 10

EIA

Answer 10

• Aims to identify the short term and long term on the coastal environment
• Wide ranging and includes impacts on water movement, sediment flow, water quality, changes to flora and fauna.