Pennington Point: "If action is taken to manage the beach erosion - that should contribute to managing erosion of the cliffs as well."

What to do about Pennington Point?

There is understanding the geology:
Futures Forum: The geology of Pennington Point >>> 'a useful resource for the Beach Management Plan?'

And the rate of erosion:
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Beach Management Plan >>> Pennington Point >>> determining the rate of cliff erosion

There is the 'hold the line' policy:
Futures Forum: 23rd July 2009: "DCC supports the ‘hold the line’ policy option for continued investment in maintaining existing coastal defences to prevent flooding and erosion, and to leave undeveloped and open coast to evolve naturally."

But also the 'environmental status':
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Beach Management Plan... Pennington Point... Alma Bridge... "Due to the environmental status of this site preventing any protection works, it is not possible for DCC to undertake the bridge replacement at its current position"

Finally, everything depends on everything else:
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Beach Management Plan >>> and Pennington Point: "We need to do something before it’s too late."

Tomorrow, Plymouth University will be hosting an exhibition on cliff erosion:


Protecting beaches could save cliffs and homes, scientists say

By WMNKRossiter | Posted: April 14, 2016

By Keith Rossiter


Sidmouth cliff fall in May 2015

A decade-long study of Westcountry coasts has revealed that protecting beaches could also help to stop the cliff erosion that is threatening homes, roads and coast paths around the region.

A dedicated team of scientists from the Plymouth Coastal Observatory has been painstakingly monitoring the tempestuous storms, devastating floods, 50ft-high waves and cliff falls along the coast.

The observatory is responsible for reporting on the effects of time and tide on 1,600 miles of coast from Beachley in Gloucestershire to Portland Bill in Dorset, via Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, including the Isles of Scilly.

Now the public is being given a chance to see for themselves how the processes which form our ever-changing coastline work, and how scientists study and measure the changes.

A free event is being held at Plymouth University – where the Plymouth Coastal Observatory is based – to showcase the work of the regional monitoring programme and its partners.

The link between beach and cliff erosion was established during nearly a decade of monitoring changes to cliffs at Sidmouth in East Devon. The Plymouth Coastal Observatory first commissioned aerial photography of the area in 2007.




Changes at Pennington Point Sidmouth

The scientists are also regularly seen on the beaches of the region, physically charting the changes taking place due to erosion and deposition, natural coastal processes caused by the weather and tides.

At Pennington Point they found that the levels of the beach have fallen – in some places by more than a metre – since 2007.

Coastal process scientist Emerald Siggery from the Plymouth Coastal Observatory said: "There have been a number of cliff falls at Pennington Point in recent years. Our data, which includes aerial photography, topographic surveys and LiDAR, has given us accurate measurements of the changes.

"All our rich data also shows that erosion of the beach is contributing to the erosion of the cliffs, so if action is taken to manage the beach erosion that should contribute to managing erosion of the cliffs as well."

The observatory's scientists gather beach measurements accurate to around an inch, and commission and interpret high-resolution aerial photography and LiDAR (laser) imagery, as well as surveys which map the entire range of coastal habitats of the South West.

They also provide real-time information on the region's waves and tides.

Coast South West 2016 will be open to the public from 10am to 3pm on Wednesday, April 20, in the Rolle Marquee on the main Plymouth University campus at Drake Circus.

Among the exhibitors will be the Plymouth Coastal Observatory, Plymouth University's School of Marine Science and Engineering, the National Trust, the South West Coast Path and Seaton Jurassic.

The huge amount of information gathered over the past 10 years is freely available on a new website, www.coastalmonitoring.southwest.org

The South West Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme is a consortium of the area's maritime local authorities and the Environment Agency, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The lead local authority is Teignbridge District Council.

Protecting beaches could save cliffs and homes, scientists say | Plymouth Herald
“Protecting beaches could save cliffs and homes, scientists say” | East Devon Watch
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