SUFFOLK ESTUARY & COAST CONFERENCE SATURDAY 14 JUNE 2008 BLYTH ESTUARY FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE JEREMY SCHOFIELD STRATEGIC DIRECTOR SUFFOLK COASTAL DISTRICT COUNCIL
LIKELY FUTURE ESTUARY SHAPE
OPTIONS CONSIDERED FOR THE BLYTH 1. No active intervention 2. Do minimum 3. Hold the line throughout the Estuary 4. Hold the structures at the mouth, no active interventions elsewhere 5. Hold the line other than at Robinson s Marsh Embankment 6. Make the estuary shallower or narrower close to the Bailey bridge; hold the line elsewhere 7. As 6. but no active interventions at Tinker s Marsh 8. Hold the northern line of defence, no active intervention
EA CONCLUSION ON OPTIONS While the preferred technical and environmental option is hold the Northern line of defence with no active intervention elsewhere (Option 8) this does not satisfy the economic criteria for investment nor the priority score to attract funding In this situation a policy No Active Intervention (Option 1) is likely to be preferred policy for the Blyth Estuary A managed withdrawal of maintenance
ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE BLYTH STRATEGY GROUP(1) Significant flaws in the economic appraisal Commissioned expert consultant to review Environmental appraisal does not demonstrate how AONB obligations have been met: to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the AONB Gained support of AONB Partnership; discussions with Natural England Lack of clarity on replacement habitats for those lost Discussions with Natural England Consequences for the coastline not considered Working to link Shoreline Management Plan and Estuary Strategies
ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE BLYTH STRATEGY GROUP (2) The affordability of a 100 year strategy is based on the current national funding of coast and flood defence Lobby the government Cost transfer to others e.g. for A12 and A1095, cash cost of 5m to Suffolk County Council Lobby the government Failure to link flood risk objectives to other policy objectives Integrated Coastal Zone Management initiative, to join up policies and programmes No allowance for the cumulative impact of subsequent estuary strategies on environmental, social and economic assets ICZM initiative No review process despite uncertainties about the underlying assumptions Lobby the government
ROYAL HASKONING REPORT SMP / BLYTH ESTUARY
Shoreline Management Plan Sub-Cell 3c SMP2 Process 1. Identify the issues 2. Set objectives associated with these issues 3. Decide on policies which will best deliver these objectives
Shoreline Management Plan Sub-Cell 3c Looking ahead over 100 years. Existing Issues Establishing a sustainable approach Time steps of: 100 years (2105) 50 years (2055) Developing a plan 20 years (2025)
SMP TIMETABLE - REVIEW Draft policy statements to key Stakeholder Forum September 2008 Draft SMP to be agreed end of November 2008 Public examination of draft SMP to commence January 2009 Finalise SMP in August 2009 Adoption of SMP Policies to follow
ISSUES RAISED WITH REGIONAL MINISTER There is more to coast and estuary management than flood risk management. There is more to funding coast and estuary management than the next 3 year national Flood and Coastal Defence budgets. There is more to appraising the benefits and costs of coast and estuary strategies than the current DEFRA guidance allows There is more knowledge to be gained about the scale of impacts of climate change on our coast in years to come caution is needed before irrevocably writing off economic, social and environmental assets
POLICY OBJECTIVES FOR COASTS AND ESTUARIES Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Economic growth and sustainability Coastal Access and Recreation Sustainable Communities and Development Conservation of the AONB, biodiversity and other environmental assets Food and Farming Infrastructure Adapting to climate change Community Empowerment
POLICIES: OUR PROPOSAL AN INTEGRATED POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR COASTAL AREAS Build on the joining up of policies proposed in the Marine Bill DEFRA /CLG to incorporate the need for ICZM in policy and practice documents including PPSs, AONBs, SMPs, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk strategies Carry through to delivery the Regional Coastal Initiatives findings Pilot the approach to managing the Suffolk Coast and Estuaries including joining the SMP and Estuary Strategies, and managing / conserving the AONB as a whole
RESOURCES FOR COAST AND ESTUARY MANAGEMENT A NEED TO BROADEN THE RESOURCE BASE FOR COASTAL MANAGEMENT: Landowners Local communities Creation of new assets as part of change Funding/investment via the Planning system Co-ordinated use of public sector resources and assets EU and similar funding programmes
RESOURCES: OUR PROPOSAL Complement ICZM with integrated investment plans Provide policy choices to communities with associated differing resource requirements Facilitate landowners/stakeholders to manage coastal/estuary assets using their own resources Consider opportunities for private sector investment Periodic review of government funding the coast as a national asset Adaptation funding
APPRAISAL GUIDANCE FOR COASTS AND ESTUARIES Inadequate account is taken of: Economic impacts beyond the value of business assets lost Impact of loss of infrastructure beyond the immediate locality Community impacts e.g. reduction in quality of life and facilities Intangible costs e.g. loss of character of an area that determines its quality Cumulative impacts across a coastal zone e.g. on an AONB
APPRAISAL: OUR PROPOSAL DEFRA /EA review and revise the flood and coastal defence project appraisal guidance to reflect the full impacts on localities / the nation
100 YEARS HENCE! An asset once lost to erosion is lost permanently Today s predictions of sea level rise are different to yesterday s, and probably different to tomorrow s Incorrect process predictions will result in incorrect benefit and cost assessments Avoid precipitate decisions that we may regret
TIMING: OUR PROPOSAL Build in periodic and meaningful reviews of policy frameworks such as Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategies to take account of increasing knowledge of change ( Incorporate in DEFRA policy / guidance)
Cumulative Impact for Flood Risk Areas Blyth Minsmere Alde-Ore Deben Orwell
WORKING WITH THE EA AND OTHERS LOCALLY Integrating local policy frameworks Linking proposals / consultations on SMP / Estuaries Options linked with resource implications Practical local solutions Locally generated resources Willingness to devise new solutions to climate change pressures