Managing Coastal Environments: Shoreline Management Plans

have been developed by local councils and the environment agency, adopting a more holistic approach.

Coastal defence authorities can't carry out works without the aid of a shoreline management plan.

Tend to include:

1. Hold the Line - maintain/upgrade the level of protection provided by the existing coastal defences
2. Advance the line - Build new defences seaward of the existing defence line
3. Managed Realignment - allow retreat of the shoreline inland with management to control or limit that movement
4. No active Intervention - a decision not to invest in providing or maintaining defences

Sustainable Future?

• Sea levels are predicted to continue to rise approx 6m a year because of global warming
• Areas of the UK continue to sink because of isostatic uplift, changing at the rate of 2mm a year
• The use of public money to defend the undefendable is unsustainable
• A 'do nothing' approach is often the only affordable way in the long term