Erosion highlighted
(The Advertiser Online, 31 March 2005)
THE EROSION of the region's coastline will be under discussion at a public meeting to be held next week.
Prompted by the news that a policy of no active intervention has been proposed for Scratby's coastline, the village's Coastal Erosion Group has organised the meeting to be held at Ormesby Community Centre at 7.30pm next Thursday, April 7. As well as discussing the coastline erosion at local villages such as Scratby, California and Hemsby, Malcolm Kerby of the Coastline Action Group will explain the Anglian Coastal Management Group's Shoreline Management Plan (SMP). County, borough and parish councillors have also been invited.
The SMP is the product of a partnership between various local councils (including Great Yarmouth Borough Council) along with the Environment Agency and English Nature and sets out policies regarding North Sea coastal defences for the next 100 years. Each stretch of shoreline has been judged separately and one of four conclusions reached. These are:
- Hold the line - Maintain or upgrade the level of protection provided by defences.
- Advance the line - Build new defences seaward of the existing defence line.
- Managed realignment - Allow retreat of the shoreline with monitoring and, if appropriate, management to limit or control movement.
- No active intervention - A decision not to invest in providing or maintaining defences against erosion or flooding.
A period of public consultation about all aspects of the SMP is now underway until Friday, April 29 with residents living in coastal villages being urged to make their feelings known by filling out an erosion form which can be found at www.acag.co.uk A full copy of the SMP as well as the proposed policy for each stretch of coastline covered is available at www.northnorfolk.org/acag