1. An Overview of Coastal Management Issues Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating and Call-in Committee, 10 March 2005. Andrew Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager.

2. A Changing Coastline  Sea levels highest in 140,000 years  Further rises predicted – conservative estimate for NE Coast 4mm per year  Resulting in: - more flooding, - more flooding, - more loss of habitats, and - more loss of habitats, and - more loss of land and assets to erosion - more loss of land and assets to erosion

3. A Changing Coastline (2) In England: £130 billion of assets are at risk from coastal/tidal flooding £130 billion of assets are at risk from coastal/tidal flooding £10 billion assets at risk from coastal erosion £10 billion assets at risk from coastal erosion By 2100 the risk of: Coastal/tidal flooding will be 2-20 times current annual losses Coastal/tidal flooding will be 2-20 times current annual losses Coastal erosion will be 3-8 times current annual losses Coastal erosion will be 3-8 times current annual losses

4. A Changing Coast (3)  Of 7000km of coastline over 2000km is defended  30% of the coast is developed  2,500 sq km is below the 5m contour  One third of the population live within 10km of the coast

5. Key Issues  National Policy  Regional Context  Local Context  The Council’s Coastal Management Role  Linkage with other Council Roles

6. National Policy  Lead Government Department - Defra  Approve and financially assist coastal protection, coastal flood and sea defence work  Primary legislation – Coast Protection Act 1949 – enables local authorities to undertake works for coastal protection  Water Resources and Land Drainage Acts – allow for councils to undertake sea defence work for control of flooding

7. National Policy (2): SMPs  Pre-1995 piecemeal approach  1995 – introduction of Shoreline Management Plans  First stage Shoreline Management Plans completed in 1997-8  Shoreline Management Plans collectively provide a long-term coastal strategy for the entire shoreline of England and Wales

8. National Policy (3): SMPs  Promote good and prudent management of the coastline  Future sustainability of coastal settlements  Protect environmental qualities of the coastline including natural habitats  Inform future land-use and development decisions

9. National Policy (4): SMPs  Define the risks to people and the developed, historic and natural environment  Identify the preferred policies for managing these risks over a 100 year horizon  Identify the consequences of implementing the preferred policies  Monitor effectiveness of SMP policies

10. National Policy (5): SMP Policy Options  Hold the line  Advance the line  Managed realignment  Limited or no active intervention

11. Regional Context: North East Coastal Authorities Group  Coastal operating authorities – River Tyne to Flamborough Head  Lead Authority – Scarborough B.C.  Countryside Agency  English Nature  Environment Agency  Defra  National Trust

12. Regional Context: SMP Process  First SMP completed in 1997-98  Recently commenced SMP phase 2  Consultants for SMP2 - Posford Haskoning  South Tyneside public meetings January and April 2005

13. Local Context Following completion of SMP in 1997-98 South Tyneside Council commissioned three key coastal management studies:  Littlehaven to South Pier Coastal Management Study (2001)  Whitburn Coastal Strategy Study (2002)  Trow Quarry Ground Investigation (2003)

14. Local Context (2): Littlehaven to South Pier Coastal Management Study  Littlehaven to South Pier Coastal Management Study – provides detailed examination of the coastal management issues relating to the area between the south groyne of the River Tyne and the South Pier of the Tyne Harbour  Identifies limited effective life of the seawall (5-10 years) and the potential erosion of Harbour Drive.

15. Local Context (3): Whitburn Strategy Study  Whitburn Coastal Strategy Study – provides detailed information on the stretch of coast from South Shields to the border with Sunderland  Aims to identify coastal management issues for the Borough over a 60 year horizon  Provides the basis for prioritisation of actions and funding decisions  Highlighted the need to undertake Trow Quarry ground investigation

16. Local Context (4): Trow Quarry Ground Investigation  Commissioned 2003 to examine erosion and potential contamination issues at Trow Quarry  Report identifies presence of fill materials and erosion at the coastal face  Recommends further site investigations to enable identification of suitable solution for the sustainable management of the site  Those further investigations are currently on- going

17. The Council’s Coastal Management Role  Actively contribute to the Shoreline Management Planning process  Take forward SMP policies as they relate to respective stretches of coastline  Undertake/commission works for purposes of coastal protection and flood defence  Ensure joined-up approach with other Council plans and strategies such as the LDF and Regional Spatial Strategy

18. Linkage with Other Council Roles  Local planning process, LDF and Regional Spatial Strategy  Regeneration & Sustainable Communities  Tourism  Biodiversity  Environmental Protection & Contaminated Land Regulation  Health and Safety Regulation  Emergency Planning

19. Linkage with Other Council Roles (2): Contaminated Land Regulation  Part IIA Environmental Protection Act – duty to identify, inspect and investigate potentially contaminated sites  Contaminated land – substances in, on or under the land giving rise to significant harm or significant possibility of harm or pollution of controlled waters  Pollutant linkage: source-pathway-receptor

20. Linkage with Other Council Roles (3): Contaminated Land Regulation  Designation as contaminated land triggers consultation with appropriate persons to secure remediation of the land  Remediation agreement or remediation notice specifying the works required and the timescale permitted  Special sites – fall to the EA for regulation  PPC sites, MoD land, significant pollution of controlled waters

21. Linkage with Other Council Roles (4): Health and Safety Regulation  Responsibility for health and safety enforcement at places of entertainment and for leisure activities falls to local authorities  Responsible for ensuring that the duty-holder complies with relevant health and safety requirements  Extends to evaluating adequacy of duty- holders risk assessments  Supported by enforcement action where appropriate

22. Summary  The Council needs to respond to the challenge of coastal management planning over a 100 year horizon  To do so effectively demands effective joint working at both regional and local level  Coastal management planning must fully integrate with the Council’s other plans and strategies

23. Summary (2): In relation to Trow Quarry  The Council has commissioned the recommended further investigative work  This will inform a determination whether the land is ‘contaminated land’ and what remediation is required  Will also inform most appropriate method for protection of the coastal face of the site  Will allow the Council and its partners to ensure the sustainable use of the site for future generations