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

1. Summary

1.1 On 17 February 2005 the Executive Member for Policy and Resources approved a budget of £142,000 for 2005/06 to fund the capital works programme for coastal improvements. The purpose of this report is to summarise progress on the funded schemes and projects and propose a capital programme of schemes totalling £146,000 for the year 2006/07.

2. Capital Programme 2005/06 - Progress Report

2.1 The coastal capital programme is a complex rolling programme. Due to the complicated consents procedure at the coast, environmental constraints, partnership funding and national programmes, some projects take a long time to plan and are therefore sometimes required to be carried forward. A number of reported projects originally allocated in budgets prior to 2005/06 have come to fruition this year, together with projects allocated in the 2005/06 budget that have been completed. Some projects are requested to be carried forward into 2006/07.

2.2 The approved schemes for 2005/06 were divided into four categories and progress on schemes in three of the categories is summarised; the fourth category `fees' needs no further explanation.

3. Coastal Defence Works 2005/06

3.1 Work has been carried out at Royal Victoria Country Park in connection with the sea wall. The sheet piling fronting the wall has eroded and several small holes have appeared. In one particular location the movement of the sea through the holes has resulted in the material behind the sheet piling being swept out, which has caused a slump in the bank adjacent to the path on the sea wall, and a large hole is now present, making the area hazardous.

3.2 As a precaution, this stretch of the sea wall, which had previously been a popular walkway, has been closed to the public and safety fencing has been erected to prevent access. There is some local opposition to this closure. Civil engineers have been contracted to investigate the problems with the sea wall and to determine and cost the best short-term solution; this is discussed further in paragraph 3.5. Work carried out by the Key Area Working Group (KAWG) concerned with the long-term future of the defences is also relevant and is reported separately in Appendix 5 (i).

3.3 None of the budget has been required for minor emergency works on County Council sites and no new schemes have been started due to the potential funding requirements at Royal Victoria Country Park.

3.4 Previous years' unspent budget has been held in reserve for the pending repair works to the seawall at Royal Victoria Country Park. This reserve now totals £60,000 and it is requested that these funds are carried forward to 2006/07 to fund the repair works that will be required in 2006/07 until a longer term solution can be determined.

3.5 The short-term options from the Engineers' Report (December 2005) include:

(i) repairing the sheet piling in front of the seawall;

(ii) building a gabion wall in front of current defences to prevent catastrophic failure; or

(iii) back-filling the holes that are present, carrying out monitoring to identify where problems may occur in the future and adding a rail to the top of the sea wall as a safety measure against the 5 metre vertical drop.

3.6 All these options would allow the footpath to be reopened and extend the life of the defences for three years. The first two options will cost in the region of £100,000, whereas the last option would cost approximately £60,000 in total, spread over three years. It is thought that spending more than £60,000 on short-term repairs (which will last two to three years) cannot be justified, bearing in mind that further funds will be required for a more permanent solution in subsequent years. It is therefore recommended that the third option is implemented as soon as possible while a longer term solution is sought. It should be noted that monitoring may show signs of serious failure, at which point the path would be closed. It would also be appropriate to provide some information on-site to explain the issues in relation to the monitoring and the future of the sea wall.

3.7 It is worth highlighting now that funds from the coastal budget may not be enough in the future for a sustainable long term solution and further funds may be requested specifically on this matter. A longer term solution needs to be determined through the Coastal Defence Strategy within two years.

4. Access and Environmental Improvements 2005/06

4.1 Phase 1 of the `Around the Solent' project (Solent Forum's Access and Environmental Improvements Strategy) has resulted in the production of access and audience development plans and interpretation strategies which will guide projects on local visitor sites and attractions. Funds allocated to schemes under the `Around the Solent' project, together with funds carried forward from previous years' budgets, have contributed towards a number of schemes to assist management of important coastal nature reserves and recreation sites managed by the County Council and schemes in partnership with other organisations. These are listed in Appendix 1.

4.2 A number of projects take time to come to fruition and it is requested that these committed projects are carried forward to 2006/07. These are listed in Appendix 2.

5. Studies and Joint Projects 2005/06

5.1 Funds allocated to studies and joint projects have contributed towards a number of County Council and partnership projects aimed at improving the knowledge base which in turn will assist management of County Council sites.

5.2 The County Council is one of several organisations that have funded the Solent Forum to implement the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and Solent European Marine Sites Management Scheme (SEMS). Three specific studies and committed projects are carried forward to 2006/07. These are listed in Appendix 3.

5.3 The sum of £12,000 was allocated to studies related to the work of the KAWGs which are progressing the recommendations from the review of the effects of climate change on Hampshire County Council's coastal landholdings. Four KAWGs have been set up, as follows: Lepe to Calshot; West Hayling Island; Bunny Meadows and Hook-with-Warsash Local Nature Reserve; and Royal Victoria Country Park. Progress on each of the groups was reported to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources in June 2005 and an updated summary is given in Appendix 4.

5.4 It was originally hoped that work on all the KAWGs could be completed by mid-2005 and the overall intention is that the outcomes of the work will feed into the next round of Shoreline Management Plans (SMP2). Work has taken longer than anticipated, as a number of key issues have arisen that need further study and discussion before they can be resolved. Specific work to look at the feasibility of options for the seawall at Royal Victoria Country Park and the footpath at Bunny Meadows are well underway. In addition, work to examine past erosion rates from the analysis of historic photography will be completed by the end of the financial year. Work has also started towards the production of a coastal change corporate communication strategy. This includes a seminar for Members to consider the key issues in relation to the KAWGs. All these projects are outlined further in Appendix 5, and other areas of study are proposed for 2006/07 (see paragraph 6.2 and Appendix 7) . It is now likely that the SMP2 process will now not commence until autumn 2006, and so there is still time for the work of the KAWGs to feed into the SMP2 process.

5.5 The coastal budget has also funded a number of other studies and joint projects which are listed in Appendix 6.

6. Capital Programme 2006/07

6.1 Proposals for the coastal capital programme for the coming year are grouped under the same four headings as 2005/06:

Coastal Defence Works £30,000

Access and Environmental Improvements £60,000

Studies and Joint Projects £43,000

Fees £13,000

Total £146,000

6.2 These are outlined in more detail in the following table.

Category	Detail	Costs
Coastal Defence Works 2006/07
Coastal defence works	Emergency works on County Council sites	£30,000
Access and Environmental Improvements 2006/07
Solent-wide projects	Phase 2 of the Solent Forum's `Around the Solent' project. Support for the project and for specific improvements that relate to the County Council's sites and services	£20,000
Access and environmental improvements on County Council coastal sites	Practical projects to help deliver the outcomes of the coastal change corporate communication strategy, such as a range of information measures to raise awareness of key issues using modern and popular technology to attract a wide variety of people	£40,000
Sub Total		£60,000
Studies and Joint Projects 2006/07
Coastal BAP implementation	Implementation of projects already planned and further BAP projects and to the SEMS	£8,000
Chichester Harbour Trust	Second payment of the three proposed in 2005/06	£5,000
Marine Spatial Planning workshop	Contribution for workshop	£1,000
Key Area Working Groups	Further work to determine the feasibility of options, consultation and to implement the outcomes from the Coastal Change Corporate Communication Strategy	£20,000
Joint studies	Contributions towards preparing non-statutory plans or joint studies or projects in the coastal zone.	£9,000
Sub Total		£43,000
Fees 2006/07
Fees	Capitalising as fees the cost of staff time relating to the design, supervision and management of the programme	£13,000
Total		£146,000

7. Impact Assessments

7.1 The funding will not compromise the County Council's policy on race and equalities.

Recommendation

That the capital programme for coastal schemes and projects in 2006/07 be agreed as follows:

Coastal Defence Works £30,000

Access and Environmental Improvements £60,000

Studies and Joint Projects £43,000

Fees £13,000

Total £146,000

727Rpt/AI

APPENDIX 1

`Access and Environmental Improvement' projects completed 2005/06

APPENDIX 2

`Access and Environmental Improvement' projects carried forward 2006/07

APPENDIX 3

`Studies and Joint Projects' (BAP) to be carried forward 2006/07

APPENDIX 4

Summary of Progress on Key Area Working Group

(i) Lepe to Calshot (including Lepe Country Park and Calshot Activities Centre). An `Issues and Options' report has been discussed with the operating authorities (Environment Agency and New Forest District Council) and English Nature. The recommendations were agreed by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources, 14 July 2005 and forwarded to the West Solent Coastal Defence Strategy for inclusion. The recommendations are to `hold the line' in the immediate future to enable studies to be undertaken to determine the longer term solution, which would include consideration of more radical options for some areas eg abandonment of the foreshore car park and facilities at the Country Park; managed realignment at Stansore Point and Stanswood Bay; and severance of the road west of Lepe Country Park. No public consultation has taken place yet although landowners have been involved in the process. Further work is planned, which includes the preparation of a long-term strategy for the Country Park (this will be led by the Recreation and Heritage Department) and consideration of the feasibility of managed realignment options through the Rural Pathfinder project.

(ii) West Hayling (including the Hayling Billy Coastal Path and adjacent fields). A survey of users of the coastal path was undertaken during Summer 2004, through the local Residents' Association. An `Issues and Options' report was agreed by the operating authorities (Environment Agency and Havant Borough Council) and English Nature as basis for consultation. Public consultation, including a booklet, questionnaire and three-day exhibition, took place in January 2005. The outcomes of the consultation resulted in the production of a further booklet explaining some of the key issues and a final draft strategy was produced. No further public consultation has taken place on the strategy. The recommendations are to `hold the line' in the immediate future to enable further studies to be undertaken to determine the longer term solution. Further work is to be agreed with Havant Borough Council and the Environment Agency which will include a feasibility study of managed realignment at Stoke Common in north-west Hayling, linked to the Rural Pathfinder project (see Appendix 5 (iii)) and consideration of reinstating the natural bank to prevent further erosion of the path.

(iii) Royal Victoria Country Park. An `Issues and Options' report has been produced and discussed with the operating authorities (Environment Agency and Eastleigh Borough Council) and English Nature but there has been no public consultation. The main issue is the sea wall that is currently in very poor condition; further work in relation to the immediate problems are discussed in paragraphs 3.1 and 5.3 and the long-term options will also be subject to further study (see Appendix 7 paragraph 2.1).

(iv) Bunny Meadows and Hook LNR, (R Hamble). A draft issues and options report has been prepared and discussed with the operating authorities (Environment Agency and Fareham Borough Council) and English Nature. Public consultation has not taken place and further work is required to investigate the feasibility of the options sufficiently to allow stakeholders to understand the main issues.

(v) Titchfield Haven and Lymington/Keyhaven LNR KAWGs have not been set up for these areas yet as there are no current pressures to address.

APPENDIX 5

Projects to support the work of the Key Area Working Groups

(i) Feasibility study at Royal Victoria Country Park (to be completed this financial year)

The County Council has employed Halcrow Group Limited to advise on the most suitable coastal defence options for the Royal Victoria Country Park sea wall frontage over the short, medium and long-term. The options that will be considered for the long-term include:

(a) repair the sea wall and maintain into the long term; (b) rebuild the wall to prolong its life by up to 80 years; and

(c) remove the sea wall.

The study will take into account a number of issues that the KAWG has highlighted, such as cost/benefit analysis, environmental constraints, and permissions. The work will give the County Council confidence in selecting management options for the future.

(ii) Feasibility studies on Bunny Meadows (to be completed this financial year)

The County Council has employed Halcrow Group Limited to advise on the most suitable coastal defence options for the Bunny Meadows footpath along the east bank of the River Hamble over the short, medium and long-term. Emergency repairs are to be undertaken immediately to protect the path over the winter (see paragraph 4.1), but the County Council needs to assess the feasibility, impacts, cost/benefit analysis, environmental constraints, and requirements for permissions of different options for the long term. The work will give the County Council confidence in selecting management options for the future.

(iii) Historic photography analysis to identify erosion rates (to be completed this financial year)

The Channel Coastal Observatory has been employed to interpret historic photography for Langstone Harbour and the Hamble Estuary to identify any change relating to coastal evolution and management. Aerial photography has been collected from a number of sources from 1946, 1963, 1984 and 2002. The aerial photography was scanned and geo-rectified and the following key features were digitised: front/toe of beach; cliffs; saltmarsh; sea defences; reclaimed areas; and commercial and residential development.

The analysis allows the changes in the extent of these features to be measured over time. This, together with the annual beach profile monitoring that Havant Borough Council set up during 2005 for Hayling Billy Coastal Path, will help predict future changes to the coast and thus help the County Council plan when investment will be required.

(iv) Coastal Change Corporate Communication Strategy (Phase 1 to be completed by this financial year)

During the work of the KAWG it became apparent that increasing public awareness about the issues and gaining input from stakeholders will be important. Following the Executive Member for Policy and Resources budget monitoring meeting on 9 December 2004 £15,000 was converted to revenue to allow for consultation work. Some reports, summary leaflets and exhibitions have been funded. However, consultation on the KAWGs has been delayed pending the production of a Coastal Change Corporate Communication Strategy. The suggested purposes of the strategy are, to:

(a) raise public awareness and understanding of the coastal defence and climate change-related issues affecting the County Council's interests on the coast (ie landholdings, highways and rights of way), and of the relevant legislation and the processes for policy and decision making; and

(b) engage stakeholders effectively in the relevant policy and decision making processes through appropriate methods and levels of participation and consultation.

A corporate communication strategy group has been set up to produce the strategy and to determine how best to tackle some of the key issues raised. As part of this, a Members' Seminar is planned for 9 February 2006 which will involve site visits to Bunny Meadows and Royal Victoria Country Park and presentations about the main issues. The seminar will also seek endorsement for the principles of a Coastal Change Corporate Communication Strategy.

Amongst the projects required to be carried forward, it is requested that the following study takes place in 2006/07:

Description	Lead and Other Partners
A feasibility study to investigate defence options on west Hayling Island	Hampshire County Council (lead), Environment Agency, English Nature, Havant Borough Council

APPENDIX 6

Other `Studies and Joint Projects' progressed in 2005/06