Liz Fisher – Area Manager The Leas

Came to Trust in late 1980’s Large recreation space Enhanced nature conservation Erosion issues along whole coast line

The National Trust & Trow Quarry Rob Jarman Head of Environmental Practices

CHANGE ON THE COAST: FACING UP TO REALITIES Mean Sea Level Rise Tides & Surges Wave heights Prevailing Wind &Wave direction Ocean temperatures & currents Pollution Construction

MEAN SEA LEVEL CHANGE UK sea level is rising Plot shows MSL "relative" to land levels measured by tide gauges "absolute" MSL trend is +1mm/y = 10cm/century IPCC predicts +48cm by 2100, due to thermal expansion and ice melt.

Sea level rise at North Shields: 25 cms since 1900

CHANGE IN RELATIVE EXTREME SL Taking the sum of changes in MSL + MHW + Storm surges + land movement…. we obtain change in extreme sea level (cm) relative to the land for 2075 shown in the plot Caution! - uncertainty in each component

Coastal flood risk areas Areas below 1000-year return period level By 2100 the 1 in 1000-y level may become a 1 in 100-y level

RISKS COAST IS A DYNAMIC PLACE - WE NEED TO BE DYNAMIC TOO... HOMES AT RISK INFRASTRUCTURE AT RISK ECONOMY AT RISK LAND USE POTENTIAL AT RISK ENVIRONMENT AT RISK CULTURAL HERITAGE AT RISK

SOLUTIONS DIG-IN ADAPT (PRO TEM…) CHANGE & ENABLE CHANGE MOVE AWAY….RELOCATE

COASTAL SQUEEZE Porth Dinllaen, N Wales

with rising sea levels, what is the future for this community - how long can the NT sustain it…?

Mullion Harbour, Cornwall

Birling Gap, E Sussex – cliff erosion of 1metre/year – 5 years left

The National Trust Coastal Policy The Trust’s Approach The Trust will take a long-term, strategic approach to the coastal zone to provide a framework which enables decisions to be made at the local level.

The National Trust Coastal Policy Our Management Principles The Trust accepts that the coast is dynamic and changing We shall work with the natural processes of coastal erosion and accretion wherever possible.

The National Trust Coastal Policy The Trust always takes a long-term view and will promote flexible solutions which can enable, or adapt to, the processes of coastal change.

The National Trust Coastal Policy The Trust will plan in the context of projected sea level rise and will favour coastal realignment wherever reasonable.

The National Trust Coastal Policy The Trust will only support interference with natural coastal processes where it believes there is an overriding benefit to society in social, economic or environmental terms.

The National Trust Coastal Policy Valued cultural features threatened by coastal change will be conserved as far as practicable. It may not be possible to protect them indefinitely. The Trust will ensure such features are properly recorded before they are lost or will consider relocation if justified.

The National Trust Coastal Policy Valued coastal habitats will be conserved as far as practicable, accepting that they should evolve in response to coastal and climate change. The Trust accepts that some habitats and species will be lost from some sites through natural processes and we will attempt their re-establishment elsewhere.

The National Trust Coastal Policy The Trust will actively promote public access to the coast, subject to conservation and safety considerations, in order to provide public enjoyment and recreational opportunities and to develop understanding of the coast.

The National Trust Coastal Policy Coastal management decisions often impact beyond their immediate location and cannot be made in isolation. The Trust will work with other managers and communities to share experience and knowledge, to secure beneficial outcomes and to help others understand the reasons for the Trust's policies and practices.

The National Trust Coastal Policy The Trust will only support development on the coast which has taken proper account of coastal change and sea level rise, as well as environmental, cultural and landscape considerations.

The National Trust Coastal Policy The Trust will consider the acquisition of coast where it is the best option to support its purposes and principles. The Trust will acquire land for the ‘future coast’ as well as existing coast.

The National Trust Coastal Risk Assessment 2004 Erosion 169 properties with a frontage of 608 km (377 miles) are liable to coastal erosion in the next 100 years, of which: 33 km (20 miles) fall within extreme rates of change (in excess of 200metres inland movement of coastline); 62 km (38 miles) are within very high rates of change (between 100 and 200metres inland movement of coastline).

The National Trust Coastal Risk Assessment 2004 Flooding 126 properties with a total vulnerable area of 4040 ha are vulnerable to coastal or tidal flooding. A further 33 properties are low-lying (<10m above ordnance datum) and may be vulnerable to coastal or tidal flooding in future. Many of these properties are not immediately adjacent to the coast but lie within floodplains under tidal influence.

Trow fill – management options Short term containment of the contamination, with targeted small scale protection of eroding hotspots – the “buy ourselves some time” option whilst we ascertain and negotiate a longer tem solution.

Trow fill – management options Medium term removal of contaminated material from eroding hotspots, within a strategic plan for phased removal of all contaminated material from the quarry and coastal zone.

Trow fill – management options Long term removal of all fill material from the quarry, allowing regeneration of coastal habitats, landscape and public access.

Trow –coastal management options Integration of coastal management at Trow Quarry with the sand dune and beach to the north and eroding coast to the south; need to protect existing coastal settlement and infrastructure in eroding and flood risk areas as per EA Indicative Flood Map and EN/SMP erosion projections.

Trow –coastal management options Erosion - we need a clear evaluation of the coastal and slope erosion processes, to give a clear timescale of the exposure of the contaminated fill material and the rate of coastline retreat; we need to know precisely where erosion is most likely to occur and at what rates; we need to know the fate of the eroded material - i.e. is it a risk to interests 'downstream', inshore or offshore. We can develop short term measures to slow down erosion whilst we develop a longer term strategy.

Trow –coastal management options Bathing waters - there are implications for Bathing Water Directive standards, and fisheries standards, which are real now and will become more so under Water Framework Directive.

Trow –coastal management options Aquifer contamination - we need clear information on the risks to the aquifer from leaching from the landfill. How will this risk to aquifer alter over time with sea level rise or with erosion and mobilisation of contaminated materials.