Lyme Regis - Coastal Management Case Study

Question 1

Coastal defences in Lyme Regis

Answer 1

• Eastern Lyme Regis is protected by a 390m sea wall constructed for £19.5m using £14.6m DEFRA funding and £600,00 from Dorset District Council.
• This wall protects major utility lines that provide access to 480 homes, and also doubles up as a tourist walkway.
• Rock armour called ‘Beacon Rocks’ on the end of the grade 1 listed Cobb has been extended with multiple 18-tonne boudlers imported from Norway.
• The land behind the beach has been stabilised with over 1,000 deep-bored pins.
• Planting schemes have begun in Langmoor and Lister gardens for biological stabilisation of cliffs.
• Beach replenishment has taken place with over 240,000 tonnes of sand being imported from Normandy as well as shingle imported from the Isle of Wight.

Question 2

Cost benefit analysis

Answer 2

• In total, £30m has been spent on the four stage Lyme Regis Coastal Protection Scheme.
• This can be justified in terms of cost benefit analysis because:
• Lyme Regis has a total property value of £94m.
• Lyme Regis has an annual tourist revenue of £43m.
• Lyme Regis has over 530 properties including hotels and other tourist amenities.

Question 3

Integrated coastal zone management

Answer 3

• Coastal management at Lyme Regis is integrated and sustainable.
• This is because it has followed a bottom-up approach whereby key stakeholders such as West Dorset District Council and DEFRA have consulted local residences and businesses (as well as the National Trust) to design the coastal protection scheme.
• Furthermore, the defences follow Agenda 21 of the 1992 UNDP that says ‘natural defences’ (e.g. beach nourishment in Lyme) should be used where possible

Question 4

Coastal erosion in Lyme Regis

Answer 4

• North East of Lyme Regis is Black Ven, Europe’s most active mudslip destination. In 2008, 400m of coastal erosion occurred in Black Ven.
• Lyme Regis’ cliffs are made of Lower Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks that consist of alternating band of less resistant clay and more resistant limestone.
• The less resistant clays sit on top of more resistant limestone on a horizontally dipped bedding plane. During periods of heavy rainfall, lubrication results in slippage along this bedding plane.
• Car parks in Langmoor and Lister gardens have experience subsidence as a result of the above landslips.
• There is an annual rate of retreat of 0.6m in Lyme Regis.
• Around 170 properties are at direct risk from coastal retreat.