Coasts : Coastal Management / Shoreline Management Plans Key Terms : Shoreline Management Plan Sediment Cell No Active Intervention Hold the Line Advance the Line Managed Realignment Example / Case-Study : Holderness coast Possible Questions : What is the purpose of a Shoreline Management Plan? What are the different options for managing the coast? Weblinks Here is the ‘Flamborough’ sediment cell Shoreline Management Plan (most of the useful maps are from page 39 on) Shoreline Management Plan The entire coastline of Britain has detailed plans extending for the next 100 years. These divide up the coast into separate zones called SEDIMENT CELLS which are areas where a set of coastal processes influence each other. The Sediment Cell for East Yorkshire is number 2 – Flamborough Head (it extends from Flamborough Head to south Lincolnshire). There are 4 Management Options for each section of coastline: No Active Intervention (do nothing – and let the coast erode) Hold the line (intervene to keep the coastline where it is at present) Advance the Line (build defences further out from the existing coastline) Managed realignment (develop defences further inland and permit some coastal flooding) The aim of the Shoreline Management Plan is to identify which areas of coast require protection, and which don’t. By looking at the coast as a whole (a system) planners can make sure that any changes to one part of the coast – will affect other parts in a planned way and not give surprise effects. 30

HTL = Hold The Line at Withernsea – so coastal defences will be maintained till 2105 NAI = No Active Intervention between Hollym & Dimilington – the cliffs will be allowed to erode HTL = The Gas Terminal at Easington will be protected where there are currently defences MR = Managed Retreat from Kilnsea to Spurn Point – the spit will be allowed to erode with only enough protection to permit access to homes at the southern end of Spurn but only up to 2025 – after that it depends if homes are still there. 31

“The intent of management at Mappleton is to continue to ensure the viability of the village and a strategic transport link between Hornsea to the north and Withernsea to the south.” “A policy of No Active Intervention will release sediment from the cliffs which helps to provide natural coastal protection for areas to the south, including more southerly areas of the East Yorkshire coastline” “At Mappleton, the current defence line will be held for the short and medium term at least. To the north of the defences, the strategic north- south transport link could be at threat from erosion before 2055.” “Under this policy, the undefended cliffs will continue to erode and the rate of erosion will generally increase over time as a result of sea level rise. This policy will result in some adverse impacts for property, with approximately 10 houses potentially at threat from erosion by 2025; a further 22 houses are potentially at threat by 2055; with further property at risk of erosion by the end of the Plan period in 2105” 32

“The intent of management for Policy Unit F is to sustain Withernsea as a viable town and as a seaside resort.” 33 (While Withernsea sea front is protected from erosion for the whole of the period, the unprotected coast north of Withernsea is retreating – see the purple and red lines - and the coast to the south of Withernsea is eroding even faster as it is ‘robbed’ of beach material by the groynes at Withernsea. Over the next 100 years protected resorts such as Withernsea could be ‘outflanked’ by erosion and left as headlands. This might require further coastal protection to stop them being eroded from the sides.)

“The preferred policy has been recommended in order to protect the Dimlington and Easington Gas Terminals while there is a strategic need for the sites and to maintain nationally important gas supplies.” “This will be achieved by a Hold the Line policy for current defences with No Active intervention elsewhere; however management of outflanking would be permitted, subject to necessary approvals.” 34

Areas ProtectedReason for protectionImpact MappletonProtect the village and the north-south road link between Hornsea & W/sea Social benefits WithernseaProtect the town as a seaside resortEconomic & Social benefits EasingtonProtect the Gas Terminal for national gas supplies Political & Economic benefits Consequences of No Active Intervention  or X Loss of houses and farms  people forced to leave homes X Loss of good quality farmland  loss of income for farmers X Cheaper than having to put in lots of coastal defences  Eroded cliff material helps form protective beaches southwards  Coasts : Coastal Management / Shoreline Management Plans – Evaluation of impact The Shoreline Management Plan for Holderness identifies which areas should have money spent on their protection from coastal erosion. The areas identified for ‘Hold the Line’ strategies are either medium sized towns, or have major features which need preserving – like the main coastal road at Mappleton and the Gas terminal at Easington. Stretches of coastline which are permitted to erode are either seen as too expensive to protect – the costs of coastal protection is greater than the value of what will be lost, or else there are actual benefits for areas further down the coast of allowing erosion – as the eroded cliff material will help build up beaches elsewhere and help create a natural barrier between the waves and the cliffs. 35