Coastal Management
 

 

Overview

The Fareham coastline has a diverse range of landscapes and seascapes, containing estuaries, salt marshes, soft cliffs and shingle beaches. It is defended along much of its length, reflecting the substantial urban population living within the coastal zone.

The historical trend in coastal defence has been for the progressive construction of walls, groynes and other 'hard' structures to prevent erosion and flooding. These have caused considerable modification to natural coastal processes. The most significant trend affecting future shoreline management is sea level rise. It is estimated that sea level is rising by approximately 5-6mm/year. One of the greatest effects of this rise on defended coasts will be a loss of intertidal habitats as they are squeezed against coastal defences.

The Fareham coast is internationally important for nature conservation. It has been recognised through a series of national, European and international designations and contains many significant habitats for a variety of animal and plant species. Human activity can have significant impacts on ecology and in recent years there has been an increased acknowledgement of the long term problems created by uncoordinated coastal defence policies.
To help redress these problems SCOPAC (Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline) was established in 1986 to provide a forum for co-ordinating coastal defence policy and to promote sustainable shoreline management. Fareham Borough Council remains an associate member of SCOPAC and continues to support its work.

In 1993 The Strategy for Flood and Coastal Defence in England and Wales produced by MAFF (now DEFRA) set out guidelines for coastal authorities whereby future coast defence works should comply with the local Shoreline Management Plan. Fareham is covered by the North Solent Shoreline Management Plan (2010).

Responsibilities

Land owners are always responsible for protecting their own property from erosion and flooding, but they must act within the applicable statutory planning and other legislation. (Please note that private defences are unlikely to be eligible for public funds.)

The Environment Agency has powers under the Land Drainage Act 1991, the Water Resources Act 1991 and Byelaws for Sea Defence.

Consent of the Environment Agency would be required for any of these activities in the coastal zone: 

• Any works in, on, under or over Main River* or within the byelaw width of 8m.
• Any works within 15m of a sea defence.
• Any works to fill, divert, obstruct or culvert an ordinary watercourse.

*Main river would include Portsmouth Harbour, Rivers Hamble, Meon, Wallington and others.


Fareham Borough Council has powers under the Coast Protection Act 1949 for Coast Protection. Coast Protection is the protection of land from erosion or encroachment by the sea. Consent from the Environment Agency and Marine Management Organisation (MMO) would be required for any private or public defence activities.
The construction, alteration or improvement of any works on, under or over any part of the seashore lying below MHWS.

• The depositing of any object or any materials on any such part of the seashore.
• The removal of any object or any materials from any part of the seashore lying below the level of MLWS.
• If the operation whether while being carried out or subsequently causes or is likely to result in obstruction or danger to navigation.

In addition to the above consents Local Authority Planning Permission will be required for any development, to low water mark, as defined within section 55 of Town and Country Planning Act 1990 including change of use, engineering operations, building works etc.


Other Marine Consents that may need to be considered when undertaking activities in the Coastal Zone (below MHWS):

• FEPA Licence (MMO) - deposition and disposal of substances at sea and placement of piles or materials during construction
• Harbour Authority Consent (Harbour Authority) - consent required where activity takes place within a harbour or the method involves work within the harbour limits
• Waste Management Licence ( Environment Agency)
• Discharge Consent (Environment Agency)
• Listed Building Consent and Conservation Area Consent (Local Planning Authority)
• Building Regulations Authority (Local Planning Authority)

For more information on Marine consents please view the Solent Forum Marine Consents Guide (this is an external hyperlink).

Fareham Borough Council and the Environment Agency have permissive power for sea defence and coast protection under the following acts:

• Coast Protection Act 1949
• Land Drainage Act 1991
• Water Resources Act 1991

In general, Fareham Borough Council and the Environment Agency will only act where there is an economic benefit, an appropriate engineering solution is achievable and environmental legislation is not contravened.


The Environment Agency www.environment-agency.gov.uk (this is an external hyperlink) is the Government department with overall policy responsibility for flood defence and coast protection in England. One of the department's principal aims, by assisting in and encouraging the building of defences, is to prevent flooding and coastal erosion.

Coastal Defence Strategies

Defence strategies consider work on the coast and the wider implications to sediment processes and the environment. They look at schemes in greater detail then shoreline management plans and provide a foundation for funding applications to central government for capital schemes.


Fareham's coastline is covered by three coastal defence strategies the details of which are below:

Portchester Castle to Emsworth Draft Coastal Flood and Erosion Risk Management Strategy

No final decisions have been made on the Portchester Castle to Emsworth Draft Coastal and Erisoion Risk Management Strategy (1.19 Mb)  as yet but the strategy is in the final stages and nearing completion. 

Itchen to Hamble Coastal Defence Strategy

Mouchel Parkman has been commissioned by a partnership with Southampton City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and Fareham Borough Council to develop a 'Coastal Defence Strategy' (this is an external hyperlink) for the sustainable management of coastal defences. The study frontage includes the east bank of the River Itchen as far upstream as Woodmill, the Weston, Netley and Hamble Le Rice frontage, and both banks of the River Hamble as far upstream as the Bursledon railway bridge.

The strategy has now been accepted by the Environment Agency.
 

River Hamble to Portchester Castle Coastal Defence Strategy

Fareham Borough Council is now working with the Havant, Portsmouth and Gosport Coastal Partnership to develop a coastal defence strategy for the majority of the Fareham Coastline. Funding has now been granted by the Environment Agency and work will begin in late 2011. This Defence strategy will inform future defence schemes on Fareham's open Coast and Harbour coastline.

References:

• Coast Protection Act 1949 (this is an external hyperlink)
• Land Drainage Act 1991 (this is an external hyperlink)
• Water Resources Act 1991 (this is an external hyperlink)
• Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (this is an external hyperlink)
• Marine Consents Guide - Solent Forum (this is an external hyperlink)
• North Solent Shoreline Management Plan (this is an external hyperlink)
• Environment Agency (this is an external hyperlink)
• Fareham Borough Council Local Plan
• SCOPAC (this is an external hyperlink)
• Southern Coastal Group (this is an external hyperlink)
• DEFRA High Level Targets for Flood and Coastal Risk Management (1,18 Mb)

For more information on coastal management please contact the Coastal and Land Drainage Officer on tel: 01329 236100 or e-mail conservation@fareham.gov.uk.