Archived decisions

REVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON COUNTY COUNCIL

COASTAL LAND HOLDINGS: INTERIM REPORT ON KEY AREAS

On 14 July, 2005 the Executive Member for Policy and Resources adopted, on behalf of the

County Council, the Lepe to Calshot Key Area Working Groups (KAWGs) preferred coastal

defence policies for submission for inclusion in the West Solent Coastal Defence Strategy.

The report summarised progress on the four KAWGs that have been established to date, and

recommended preferred shoreline management policies for the Lepe to Calshot area. The report

was also considered by the Policy and Resources Scrutiny and Select Committee on 11 July 2005.

As a result of growing concerns about expenditure on coastal defences, the effects of climate

change (leading to rising sea levels and increased numbers of storms) and the conflict of interest

between traditional coastal defence policies and modern environmental legislation, the County

Council carried out a review of the effects of climate change on its coastal interests. The review

was subject to public consultation in the autumn of 2003, and was considered by the Executive

Member for Policy and Resources on 8 April 2004 after consideration by the three relevant

Policy Review Committees.

One of the main outcomes of this process was to set up KAWGs for those areas where County

Council landholdings, services and facilities are likely to be adversely affected by the effects of

climate change and/or by current or emerging coastal defence policies. KAWGs have been set

up for: Lepe to Calshot; West Hayling; Royal Victoria Country Park; and Bunny

Meadows/Hook-with-Warsash Local Nature Reserve. Further groups are to be set up for

Titchfield Haven, and Lymington to Keyhaven . Each group is examining the implications for

the County Council's statutory functions and corporate objectives of the relevant coastal defence

policies, taking into account the predicted effects of climate change and the requirements of

environmental legislation such as the Habitats Regulations 1994.

The purpose of each group is to recommend the most appropriate policies and actions for the

short, medium and long-term interests of the County Council, balancing all the relevant

obligations, duties and other considerations. Following adoption by the County Council, these

recommended policies and actions will be fed into the relevant Coastal Defence Strategy (and

subsequently the new Shoreline Management Plan covering the Hampshire coast, on which

work is expected to commence late 2005) that provides the official policy framework.

The Lepe to Calshot KAWG considered the coastal defence options for five sections of coastline

from Lepe to Calshot where the County Council has an interest, including two very important

recreational facilities: Lepe Country Park and Calshot Activities Centre. For all five areas the

KAWG recommended that the interim policy should be to `hold the line' to allow time for the

options for the short, medium to long term, including the following, to be fully addressed:

    o West of Lepe Country Park: consider as a possible future option the closure/severance of the road (C119) to help recreate the Dark Water estuary.

    o Lepe Country Park - foreshore car park: consider consequences of abandonment or removal of existing defences and possible relocation of visitor facilities.

    o Stansore Point: consider consequences of permanent breaching of beach.

    o Stanswood Bay/Calshot Hillhead: discuss with the landowner and relevant agencies the costs and benefits of managed realignment at Stanswood Bay.

    o Calshot Spit: assess the likely costs and timing of works required to maintain the facilities and services in the face of climate change.

The following work is required to help inform future policy making:

    o develop by December 2006 a long term strategy for Lepe Country Park;

    o develop better understanding of coastal processes in the area;

    o determine the sustainability of beach recharging; and

    o explore the practicalities of managed realignment at Stanswood Bay and/or Stansore Point.

This decision support Aim 2 of the Corporate Strategy (Stewardship of the Environment) by

finding creative solutions that allow the County Council's services to be maintained

satisfactorily whilst providing a more sustainable approach to coastal defence.