Coastal
erosion maps being created by the
Environment Agency could cause chaos
around the UK if management strategies
are not finalised before their
publication, engineers warned this week.
The new maps will highlight the expected shape of the UK coastline in
timeframes up to 100 years into the
future. They are intended to assist the
future management of coastal defence.
However engineers fear that
publishing maps without clear plans on
how the changes will be managed, could
cause uproar as people who are not
currently aware that they are at risk
from coastal erosion or flooding will
suddenly realise that they are.
"It could be chaos,” said North
Norfolk District Council head of coastal
defence Peter Frew. Concern over the
impact of the new maps has prompted
continued discussion over whether or not
to actually make them public.
“It is our doors that people are
going to be knocking on wanting to know
what we are going to do about it,”
explained Worthing Borough Council
principal engineer Bryan Curtis.
However, he accepted that the
publication of the maps could lever more
cash into local authority coastal
defence budgets.
"It has got to drive more investment
in the coastline. It will show The
Department of Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (Defra) what will happen
if more is not spent,” said Curtis.
“Nothing like these maps exists at
the moment. They will be a vital part of
future coastal management,” explained
Environment Agency project manager Geoff
Astle. "Defra will make that decision
(over whether to publish the maps). What
I can say is that we will not publish
these maps until the adaptation
strategies are in place.”
For a full report on coastal
management in the UK see this week's NCE
magazine
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