Contact: Alan Inder, ext 6759

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That approval be given for formal consultation to be undertaken with the Environment Agency, English Nature, relevant district councils and any other parties with interests in the County Council's land affected by the proposed policy changes on the draft Review of the Effects of Climate Change on the County Council's Coastal Landholdings.

2. Reason

2.1 To enable the outcome of the review to be reported to Members in spring 2002 with the benefit of the formal views of the main relevant authorities.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected - Not applicable.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: .................................. Date: ................................

Councillor T K Thornber

7. Introduction

7.1 In April 2000 the former Community Development and Conservation Sub-Committee authorised a study of the effects of sea level rise, increased storminess and other factors associated with climate change upon the County Council's numerous landholdings, highways and rights of way, and other coastal interests. The study has been completed and the draft summary report is attached for consideration. Approval is sought for undertaking formal consultation with other relevant authorities and agencies.

8. Background

8.1 In summary, the scope of the brief was to:

(i) produce an inventory of the County Council's coastal landholdings, highways and rights of way;

(ii) provide information on the coastal defence planning process (organisations and plans), the policy context, and on climate change and other important factors;

(iii) summarise, for each section of the coast with County Council landholdings, the natural processes, the type and condition of coastal defences, the current coastal defence policy, and the implications for the County Council;

(iv) evaluate alternative courses of action, where the implications of current policy may not be fully acceptable for the County Council; and

(v) prepare a long-term strategy for the County Council's coastal land, and short-term programme of schemes.

8.2 Initially, the intention was to use consultants to carry out the study, but the lack of availability of suitable consultants led to the decision to employ a project officer on a part-time, temporary contract to undertake the bulk of the work. Specialist consultants will be brought in, where necessary, to provide technical advice on aspects of the suggested strategy.

8.3 The review has been undertaken in close consultation with affected interests within the County Council (ie Planning and Surveyor's departments, Countryside Service, and Estates Practice), and with the relevant coastal defence authorities (district councils and the Environment Agency) and English Nature.

9. Conclusions and Recommendations

9.1 In the past the County Council has spent considerable sums of money on defending its landholdings from the effects of the sea. The study concludes that it may no longer be justifiable to do so, in economic or environmental terms, on some sites. Indeed, to continue to defend would bring the authority into conflict with the policies of the Environment Agency, English Nature and the district councils. It is therefore recommended that the County Council accepts a change from `hold the line' to `do nothing' or even 'managed retreat' in some locations. This would have some important implications, including shifting expenditure priorities within the authority's coastal capital programme from the construction of hard defences to:

(i) monitoring of some sites;

(ii) detailed studies to determine the best ways to adapt to a dynamic coastline; and

(iii) providing opportunities for habitat creation or re-creation/ restoration, which would help to meet Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) objectives and possibly to compensate for losses in habitat within European Marine Sites (EMS).

9.2 The study also concludes that the County Council is well placed to take a leading role in operating a `land banking' scheme on the Hampshire coast, jointly with the Environment Agency, English Nature and the district councils, in order to fulfil BAP objectives and the EMS obligations of regulatory authorities.

9.3 Although informal discussions have been held with officers of the Environment Agency, English Nature and the district councils as the study has evolved, and the officers agree with the emerging conclusions, it is considered important to obtain the formal views of the relevant authorities and any other parties with interests in the County Council's land affected by the proposed policy changes before proceeding further. Approval is therefore sought for formal consultation on the study to be undertaken with the relevant authorities and other interested parties as soon as possible, before reporting in full to Members.

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