1. SEA & Flood Management in the Humber Estuary
International Experience and Perspectives in SEA
IAIA Conference, September 2005, Prague, Czech Republic
SEA & Flood Management in the Humber Estuary
Richard Ashby-Crane Halcrow Group Ltd Tel:
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2. 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

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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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