SEA & Flood Management in the Humber Estuary International Experience and Perspectives in SEA IAIA Conference, 26-30 September 2005, Prague, Czech Republic SEA & Flood Management in the Humber Estuary Richard Ashby-Crane Halcrow Group Ltd ashbycranerw@halcrow.com Tel: 00 44 1794 816473 Enter the name of your presentation, sub title and the date. Text should be Arial 24pt Bold for the main title. Subtitles are in Arial 18pt Bold. Font colour should be white.

SEA & the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy Has SEA influenced the development of the Strategy? The study area The need for a Strategy Approach to SEA Key elements of the Strategy Impacts & outcomes Example - Protection & enhancement of the European Site The answer!!! Lessons learned and challenges

The Study Area Catchment 1/5 of England 300,000 people living in the floodplain SPA, pSAC and Ramsar Site designations Ports, navigation & industry

Need for a Flood Risk Management Strategy Condition of defences Erosion and foreshore lowering Low defences Sea level rise and increased storminess Habitats Directive & coastal squeeze Piecemeal refurbishment led to difficulties with approvals Loss of consultee confidence

Approach: SEA & Strategy Development tiering monitoring & review HESMP & CHaMP (1997 – 2002) Strategy & SEA (2002 – 2005) 5-Year Programme & EIA Scoping (2004-2005) Projects & EIA (2006 – 2011)

Key Elements of the Strategy Hold the line over most of the estuary where justifiable Preferred locations for: Do nothing/do minimum Managed realignment Flood storage Controlled overtopping

Key Impacts Identified Nature conservation – the European site Low (but sig.) direct losses Large habitat gains – (uncertainty) Navigation Changes to channel morphology modelling says OK but – uncertainty) Local communities potentially adversely affected by ‘do nothing/do minimum’ People, material assets & heritage sites protected ‘Tiering’ used to pass some ‘specific’ issues to EIA BUT clearly the European Site issue needed resolution now

Protection / Enhancement of the European Site The Strategy proposes: to minimise impacts (e.g. encroachment of defences onto the foreshore) of ‘hold the line’ improvement works a series of managed realignment schemes to meet the needs of: ‘compensatory’ habitat creation replacement of coastal ‘squeeze’ losses (the CHaMP) Ensuring the long term integrity of the European Site

Lessons Learned & Challenges SEA has provided: a clear framework for the development, promotion & approval of individual projects stakeholders on board a clear demonstration of the benefits of ‘tiering’ and ‘cumulative assessment’ a justified programme of monitoring and review And identified a need to: manage ‘uncertainty’ manage awareness, stress & expectation (local communities) investigate ‘human rights’ issues – ‘legitimate expectation’ Place social issues higher up the agenda Develop better participation programmes - difficulty in involving the public in strategic / high level planning ‘my backyard’ logistics (big areas and large numbers)

Has SEA influenced the development of the Strategy? YES ……….(and no)!!! Clearly auditable strategic approach (tiered planning and appraisal BUT – evolved organically and in places ‘retrofitted’ The End Thank to you all & to the Environment Agency Black & Veatch Consulting