Agenda item

(To receive a presentation from David Hickman, Growth and Environment Commissioner, and Deborah Campbell (Environment Agency) which provides an update of the Strategy)

The Committee received a presentation from Deborah Campbell, Flood Risk Manager for Lincolnshire for the Environment Agency in relation to the Saltfleet to Gibraltar Point Coastal Management Strategy.  Further information was provided in relation to the following areas:

·         Lincolnshire History of Flooding

·         Managing the Lincolnshire Coast

·         HECAG SMP – High Level Plans

·         Impacts of Coastal Process (1990's)

·         Lincshore Beach Management

·         Saltfleet to Gibraltar Point Strategy Study Area

·         Costs Comparison – Cash Cost

·         Sand on the beach – what we do now

·         Coarser sand, shingle or pebbles

·         Rock groynes plus sand on the beach – these would need to be spaced about 250m apart

·         Rock groynes and fishtails plus sand on the beach – these were much bigger structures and would go 400-500m out to see and could be spaced about 1km apart.

·         Rock groynes, fishtails with different volumes of sand

·         Rock groynes, fishtails with different frequencies of sand

·         What influences the strategy

·         Results from 2018 consultation

·         What's next?

·         Opportunities for additionality

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         Flooding was one of the greatest risks for this area of the country and it was on the national register.

·         In terms of the impact of flooding, concerns were raised regarding the formula for calculating the value of the static caravans as many were second homes for people who would live there several months of the year.  Members were advised that there was very clear guidance regarding caravans and impacts were calculated based on the cost of moving the van to another site, which was calculated at £5,800 per van.  There was also clear guidance in relation to properties and a more general outcome measure which started to build in risk to life and the number of brick built properties.  There was also a more generic measure which included effects on commerce, tourism, agriculture and highways which did not provide such a good return on investment.  It was noted that these rules were set by the Treasury. 

·         It was noted that a business case had been put forward by businesses on the Humber estuary that did not follow these rules and processes.  There might be an opportunity to do something collectively as a partnership.

·         It was commented that some members had taken part in a consultation 3-4 years ago regarding different options for protecting the coastline around Mablethorpe and it was queried if a decision had been made following this. 

·         It was noted that the east coast area was also at risk of fluvial flooding. 

·         The Shoreline Management Plan was a high level strategic plan for the coastline and ensured that nothing was done on one part of the coastline which would be detrimental to another.

·         There would be a need to go to formal consultation regarding the options for managing coastal flood risk between Mablethorpe and Skegness and it was hoped that this would be able to start at the end of May after the local elections.  Preferred options would then be identified.  It was thought that there would be a step change to structures on the beach as residents were now more open to the idea of these types of beach defences.  The preferred option would then be entered into the formal process to be approved.  The question would then be put to government regarding funding and affordability.

·         It was commented that whilst the beach nourishment might be affordable at the moment, in the long term this would become unsupportable. It was acknowledged that the various structures required a big up front cost to make them more sustainable position in the future.

·         It was queried whether there would be a chance to turn a risk into an opportunity as it was possible to store water, could there be a hydro-electric power station along the east coast.

·         There would be a cut off point for when beach nourishment would no longer be sustainable.  The difficulty was the need for up-front costs for the project.  There was a need for the Lincolnshire Flood and Water Management Strategy Group to build a business case that the government would find difficult to refuse.

RESOLVED

            That the presentation be noted.