Holderness in East Yorkshire is the fastest eroding coast in Europe (c.1m/yr average, but 10m + in some places). Traditionally, management strategies have involved hard engineering such as the sea walls and rock armour at seaside resorts like Bridlington and Hornsea. These simply form physical barriers to the waves and thus reduce corrasion and hydraulic action. Wooden groynes have also been used in these locations, preventing longshore drift, thus keeping a wide beach which then slows the waves down through friction, also reducing erosion of the land behind. As recently as 1991, the village of Mappleton had two rock groynes installed at a cost of £2m. These also prevent longshore drift, but are more resistant to being eroded and damaged than the traditional wooden groynes. Before the 1990s, management decisions were taken on a individual basis – what was best for the town / village / etc. Now we have ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management), which applies a more holistic approach, involving local people and experts from many fields in the decisions, as well as considering the whole coastline – in particular the possible effects on locations down-drift when longshore drift is prevented [eg rapid erosion at Cowden after Mappleton’s groyne was installed]. The ICZM also prioritises sustainability (environmental and social as well as economic), and thus has led to more soft engineering strategies, which seek to work WITH natural processes rather than prevent them. For example, Bridlington now uses beach replenishment each Spring to move the sand which has drifted South back to the North end of the beach. At Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire county council have planted marram grass to stabilise the sand dunes and thus reduce the erosion (and possible flooding) of the land behind.

Holderness in East Yorkshire is the fastest eroding coast in Europe (c.1m/yr average, but 10m+ in some places). Traditionally, management strategies have involved hard engineering such as the sea walls and rock armour at seaside resorts like Bridlington and Hornsea. These simply form physical barriers to the waves and thus reduce corrasion and hydraulic action. Wooden groynes have also been used in these locations, preventing longshore drift, thus keeping a wide beach which then slows the waves down through friction, also reducing erosion of the land behind. As recently as 1991, the village of Mappleton had two rock groynes installed at a cost of £2m. These also prevent longshore drift, but are more resistant to being eroded and damaged than the traditional wooden groynes. Before the 1990s, management decisions were taken on a individual basis – what was best for the town / village / etc. Now we have ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management), which applies a more holistic approach, involving local people and experts from many fields in the decisions, as well as considering the whole coastline – in particular the possible effects on locations down-drift when longshore drift is prevented [eg rapid erosion at Cowden after Mappleton’s groyne was installed]. The ICZM also prioritises sustainability (environmental and social as well as economic), and thus has led to more soft engineering strategies, which seek to work WITH natural processes rather than prevent them. For example, Bridlington now uses beach replenishment each spring to move the sand which has drifted South back to the North end of the beach. At Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire County Council have planted marram grass to stabilise the sand dunes and thus reduce the erosion (and possible flooding) of the land behind.