Contact: Alan Inder, ext 6759 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That, subject to the approval of the capital programme by the County Council, £138,000 be allocated (from within which a sum of £20,000 be transferred from capital to revenue) to fund the programme for coastal schemes and projects in 2004/05.

2. Reason

2.1 The decision supports Aims 2 and 5 of the Corporate Strategy (Stewardship of the Environment and Improving Services) by funding a range of continuing or new projects for the purposes of coastal conservation and for access and environmental improvements on County Council land and elsewhere in partnership with others.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Taking no action.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member of Officer consulted - None.

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

Contact: Alan Inder, ext 6759 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 On 13 February 2003 a budget of £135,000 for 2003/04 to fund the capital works programme for coastal improvements was approved. The purposes of this report are to summarise progress on the funded schemes and projects, and to request support for a capital programme of schemes totalling £135,000 for the year 2004/05.

2. Capital Programme 2003/04 - Progress Report

2.1 The approved programme was divided into three categories and progress on each category is summarised below.

Coastal Defence Works

2.2 No funding was allocated for major schemes this year, pending the outcome of the review of the effects of climate change on the County Council's coastal landholdings. Consultation on the findings of the review was carried out in the autumn of 2003, and a highly successful seminar was held on 31 October 2003 to brief elected Members and senior officers on the outcome of the review, within the changing context of coastal defence planning and the growing impact of the Habitats Regulations. As a result, corporate working groups are to be set up to consider the implications of current or emerging coastal defence policies for the County Council's interests, starting with groups for Lepe to Calshot, and west Hayling.

2.3 None of the £20,000 allocated for minor emergency works on County Council sites has been spent, but it might still be needed before the winter period of greatest risk is over.

Access and Environmental Improvements

2.4 The main project to be funded this year was the reconstruction of the main slipway at Calshot, which was officially reopened during Calshot Activity Centre's 40th Anniversary celebrations on 21 June 2003.

2.5 Contributions have been made towards access and environmental improvements on several County Council landholdings, notably the resurfacing and fencing of part of the popular Hayling Billy Coastal Path, fencing around Sandy Point Local Nature Reserve on Hayling Island, and surfacing part of the Solent Way around the Lymington to Keyhaven Coastal Nature Reserve. Further work has also been undertaken to improve interpretation facilities at Titchfield Haven.

2.6 The programme has also promoted and funded a scheme to improve Botley Quay, in partnership with the Parish Council, and is contributing to a major scheme to improve the waterfront at Hythe that is about to commence. Some money has been set aside to assist Fareham Borough Council's scheme to improve the coastal path to the east of Hill Head Sailing Club.

Studies and Joint Projects

2.7 A contribution of £8,000 was made towards the preparation of the Solent European Marine Sites Management Scheme, which is being undertaken in partnership by all the relevant authorities in order to comply with the Habitats Regulations. The Management Scheme will be submitted to DEFRA in June 2004.

2.8 Some progress has been made towards implementation of the Coastal Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). A workshop, attended by more than 50 people from 27 organisations, was successful in grouping actions into major themes and in exploring opportunities for coordinating implementation of the Coastal BAPs for Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex. The major thrust for implementation will start in the coming year (see section 3). In the meantime, minor contributions have been made to a scheme to protect the saline lagoons at Lymington and a Solent wide initiative, English Nature and Hampshire Wildlife Trust, to protect vegetated shingle, a valuable but vulnerable habitat.

2.9 The allocated contribution of £10,000 has been made to the Solent Recreation Study, a joint project with local and harbour authorities, Sport England, the Environment Agency and others. The findings of the study will be presented at the Solent Forum's Coastal Management Conference to be held in Portsmouth on 27-28 April 2004, a major event that will be sponsored by the County Council and other authorities and agencies.

2.10 A minor contribution has been made towards the production by the Marine and Coastguard Agency of the UK Coastal and Marine Resource Atlas, which will be especially useful to emergency planning officers when responding to oil or chemical spills.

3. Capital Programme 2004/05

3.1 Proposals for the coastal capital programme for the coming year are grouped under the same headings. The proposed expenditure for each category is:

*NB - £20,000 carried forward from 2003/04

Coastal Defence Works

3.2 No major schemes are planned for the coming year. However, it would again be prudent to allocate £20,000 to cover minor emergency works on County Council sites, and it is suggested that this be done by carrying forward the allocation for the current year, if not needed this winter (see paragraph 2.3).

Access and Environmental Improvements

3.3 Following extensive local consultation, New Forest District Council has produced a plan to improve the promenade at Milford-on-Sea, to be implemented this year, and has requested a contribution by the County Council. The overall cost of the scheme is estimated at around £400,000. As the scheme has strong support from local people, and would make a real difference to the rather run-down seafront environment at Milford, it would be appropriate for the County Council to make a significant contribution, of around £40,000.

3.4 The Solent Forum's Strategy for Access and Environmental Improvements, produced in close consultation with all the local and harbour authorities, and other organisations, provides a much more coordinated approach to the selection and promotion of suitable schemes than existed previously. The County Council is well placed to coordinate and drive the implementation of projects that fit within the framework of the strategy, and officers intend to set up a working group to prioritise and implement priorities on the Hampshire coast. It is envisaged that among the priorities will be initiatives to improve the Solent Way, for which the County Council is responsible. An allocation of £60,000 would assist in funding projects, either on County Council land or elsewhere in partnership with others such as district councils, or harbour authorities such as Chichester, including practical on the ground projects which make a direct contribution to achieving BAP objectives.

Studies and Joint Projects

3.5 The coordination of implementation of the Coastal BAPs for Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex referred to above will come under the wing of the Solent Forum. It will be steered by a Nature Conservation sub-group comprising representatives of the County Council, other local authorities, the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Hampshire Wildlife Trust. The Forum has requested additional funding for this work. As the SEMS Management Scheme is nearing completion, it is suggested that the annual allocation of £8,000 be transferred to BAP implementation, which will be of wider benefit to nature conservation.

3.6 As mentioned above, working groups are being set up to examine the implications of coastal defence policies for key areas and sites owned or managed by the County Council. It is anticipated that some surveys will need to be carried out, for example to assess the use and importance of facilities such as the Hayling Billy Coastal Path, Lepe Country Park, etc. Around £17,000 ought to be allocated for such surveys.

3.7 During every year requests are received from various authorities and agencies for the County Council to consider making contributions towards preparing non-statutory plans or joint studies or projects in the coastal zone. Whilst it is not possible to predict at this stage what requests will come forward, and it would not be possible or appropriate to respond in all cases, it would be prudent to make an allocation in the budget of around £10,000 for such purposes.

Recommendation

That, subject to the approval of the budget by the County Council, £135,000 be allocated to fund the capital programme for coastal schemes and projects in 2004/05.

8498/AI