Coastal Protection in the UK

[dan_boi]

Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone here knew who actually protects our coasts in the UK? And how they do this? I've been interested in doing a degree but am unsure. Do we even have people who look after or monitor our coastlines? I live in South West England.

[sethoflagos]

UK Coastal Defences are managed by the Environment Agency, currently sponsored by DEFRA.

You can browse activities by area at  https://www.gov.uk/check-coastal-erosion-management-in-your-area

[dan_boi]

14 hours ago, sethoflagos said:

UK Coastal Defences are managed by the Environment Agency, currently sponsored by DEFRA.

You can browse activities by area at  https://www.gov.uk/check-coastal-erosion-management-in-your-area

So the EA do this themselves? Do they have contractors? How does actually getting the information/data to form management plans done? 

[John Cuthber]

The National Trust is responsible for some bits.
 

[studiot]

17 hours ago, dan_boi said:

Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone here knew who actually protects our coasts in the UK? And how they do this? I've been interested in doing a degree but am unsure. Do we even have people who look after or monitor our coastlines? I live in South West England.

Good afternoon dan and welcome to ScienceForums.

You will find quite a few knowledgable members here, but some take a while to respond.

Whilst on the subject of responses please be aware that new members are only allowed 5 posts in their first 24 hours and I see you are up to #4.
After that you can post at will.

 

Right, so many different bodies 'manage' different parts of coastal protection in England. The other three Nations have similar but also some different arrangements.

As part of my career as a highway manager I did some of this myself along the North Somerset Coast.

Highway Authorities are responsible for that part of the coast which supports/carries a highway.

Similarly the Railway Authorities in their various constantly being reorganised configurations are responsible for sections where the railway is adjacent to the water.
For example they have just completed a multimillion scheme at Dawlish in South Devon.

In the Severn Estuary the Environment Agency is responsiple downstream of the lock at the entrance to Gloucester Docks.
Of course the Severn continues upstream for another nearly 100 miles and all this is the responsibility of the Inland Waterways Board.

Dotted along the coasts are sundry harbours, moorings and beaches.  Usually these are the responsibility of the Local Authority, parish, town etc.

Then as John notes bodies such as the National Trust, The RSPB own and operate coastal (and inland) environmental patches.

Trafalgar House are responsible for the Lighthouses.

Remember also that all the land between high water and low water is officially owned by the Crown.

 

I hope this helps.

Also please also look at your university course question later today as I am gathering some material to help you.

 

 

 

 

[studiot]

A current report on who is responsible for coastal protection

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0kxkqy8nlpo

 

East Devon District council is preparoing Exmouth defneces for storm Ciaran today.

 

[sethoflagos]

On 10/31/2023 at 2:27 PM, dan_boi said:

So the EA do this themselves? Do they have contractors? How does actually getting the information/data to form management plans done? 

My understanding is per:

Quote

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Defra has policy responsibility for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England. Delivery on the ground is the responsibility of operating authorities - the Environment Agency (EA), local authorities and internal drainage boards (IDBs). We fund most of the EA’s flood related work and grant aid individual capital improvement projects carried out by local authorities and IDBs. We have produced a set of High Level Targets and other guidance material for operating authorities. We do not build defences ourselves, or decide which projects the operating authorities should carry out.

The full article is archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20070626204942/http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/defrafm.pdf

 

[studiot]

21 minutes ago, sethoflagos said:

My understanding is per:

The full article is archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20070626204942/http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/defrafm.pdf

 

 

 

Quote

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Defra has policy responsibility for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England.
Delivery on the ground is the responsibility of operating authorities - the Environment
Agency (EA), local authorities and internal drainage boards (IDBs). We fund most of the
EA’s flood related work and grant aid individual capital improvement projects carried out by
local authorities and IDBs. We have produced a set of High Level Targets and other
guidance material for operating authorities. We do not build defences ourselves, or decide
which projects the operating authorities should carry out

 

So what are they actually doing about it ?

 

 

 

[sethoflagos]

4 hours ago, studiot said:

So what are they actually doing about it ?

About as much as you would expect of an organisation under the direction of someone like Therese Coffey I guess.

I can see what the written responsibilities of these organisations are, but a non-resident is perhaps not best placed to judge whether or not they meet those obligations,

[dan_boi]

On 11/1/2023 at 4:41 PM, studiot said:

 

 

 

So what are they actually doing about it ?

 

 

 

What field do you work in?

On 11/1/2023 at 9:30 PM, sethoflagos said:

About as much as you would expect of an organisation under the direction of someone like Therese Coffey I guess.

I can see what the written responsibilities of these organisations are, but a non-resident is perhaps not best placed to judge whether or not they meet those obligations,

Non-resident? Where do you live?

[studiot]

15 minutes ago, dan_boi said:

What field do you work in?

I retired a few years ago.

[sethoflagos]

On 11/4/2023 at 9:11 PM, dan_boi said:

Non-resident? Where do you live?

Nigeria mostly.