Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: and ensuring cliff falls are a thing of the past
The consultant on the BMP has given their judgement before the next meeting:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: Local stakeholders welcome project consultant's report >>> Options S4 and S4b "technically preferred"
The steering group meets tomorrow to consider where next:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: steering group to meet Wednesday 17th August
With further comment from Save Our Sidmouth
Beach Management Plan..crucial meeting this Wednesday (17 August) | Save Our Sidmouth
Meanwhile, there has been a lot of activity on the StreetLife network on this and somewhat related matters:
Streetlife | Beach Management Plan..cheapest option, or more effective long-term solution?
Streetlife | Lifeboat
Streetlife | Scoping Study
The View from Sidmouth carried the story on its front page today:
Vision group meets over beach management plan
THE Futures Forum of the Vision Group for Sidmouth (VGS) met with local stakeholder businesses, residents, councillors and organisations last week to consider a report concerning the Beach Management Plan (BMP) for Sidmouth.
The report, which was prepared by project consultants CH2M for EDDC and the Beach Management Plan steering group, states that Options 4 and 4b are the technically preferred options to help protect Sidmouth’s beach and cliffs.
This was welcomed by all present. Option 4b proposes a series of submerged reefs set away from the seafront decreasing in size.
Last month, Sidmouth Town Council also unanimously voted to back option 4b.
Chairman of the Futures Forum Robert Crick said: “We hope to work with EDDC to explore all ways of mitigating costs, testing the options, and identifying funding sources to achieve the most effective long term solution for the Sidmouth seafront, which we believe will be acceptable for the various statutory bodies such as Natural England, who in the past have consistently vetoed proposals for more rocks on the beach, as proposed by the other options.”
Local MP Sir Hugo Swire recently met the head of Natural England with EDDC Deputy Leader Andrew Moulding and Chairman Stuart Hughes on the eastern beach to discuss the BMP.
Mary Bagwell of Sidmouth Trawlers confirmed: “These agencies are the key to any agreement for works in this Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation on the World Heri- tage Coast.”
Sea levels in the South West are set to rise by well over one metre in the coming century, according to the Environment Agency.
Mr Crick says the VGS believe that any plan requiring regular intervention to recycle or replenish beach materials is not realistic as ‘it will require revenue from EDDC for the lifetime of the project, 100 years’.
Mr Crick concluded: “Sidmouth needs to protect its eastern cliffs, which have taken a terrible battering over the past 20 years, by improving the eastern beach using reefs to deflect the natural energy of the sea to create a wide beach and a sandy foreshore along the whole sea- front, just like the one behind the existing breakwaters.”
Chairman of the Sid Vale Association, Alan Darrant, agreed: “The investment in what CH2M describe as ‘the most effective solution’ would be more than worthwhile in the long term.
“It will be good for tourism as well as protecting the town from flooding.”
Vision group meets over beach management plan
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