Coastal Partners as part of Havant Borough Council (HBC) will manage the development of the Hayling Island Coastal Management Strategy, as well as undertake some specialist tasks relating to coastal processes, environmental assessments and stakeholder engagement. Adam Sennitt is the Coastal Partners’ Project Manager. As of January 2023 the project manager will change to Emma Stainer.
AECOM, an engineering consultancy with a wealth of experience in developing coastal management strategies and schemes around the UK, and locally on the Isle of Wight and in Fareham, Gosport and Langstone, have been appointed by Coastal Partners as part of HBC to provide specialist consultancy services to assist with the development of the Strategy. Bernadine Maguire is the consultant Project Manager.
Our HI Strategy organisational structure is as follows:
Corporate Governance – Corporate Governance is overseen by the HBC Cabinet Lead for Planning, Hayling Seafront Strategy and Coastal Management Cllr Clare Satchwell. However, all Councillors will be kept informed of the project’s progress via the ‘Councillor Update Newsletter’. Councillors will be invited to attend events, receive copies of publicly published (project specific) literature via the appropriate route(s). In accordance with the Constitution of Havant Borough Council, significant decisions will be made through the usual committee or cabinet approval process.
Project Board - The Project Board is accountable for the success of and responsible for the overall direction and management of the project. The Board is made up of representatives from Coastal Partners, HBC, EA and AECOM.
Project Team - The Project Manager has the authority to run the project on a day-today basis on behalf of the Project Board. Their prime responsibility is to ensure that the project produces the required products within the specified tolerances of time, cost, quality, scope, risk and benefits. The project manager is supported by the wider project team (Coastal Partners and AECOM) who are specialists in environment assessment, option development, modelling, economic appraisal, coastal processes, coastal engineering and engagement.
Project Assurance - HBC Finance, Procurement and Communications are responsible for ensuring that the project is being delivered appropriately and properly.
Project Steering Group - The Project Steering Group is made up of statutory bodies and regulators who will work in partnership to deliver a technically and environmentally and economically sound flood and coastal erosion risk management Strategy for Hayling Island. The Project Steering Group will champion, support and guide the delivery of the project, collaborate on information, share knowledge and best practice, provide feedback and input to the decision-making process.
Absolutely, please see the organisational structure explained above who as a group, have oversite and are responsible for the overall delivery of the project, and as such, that stakeholder requirements are kept in the forefront.
A Stakeholder Engagement Plan has been developed for the Strategy. This Stakeholder Engagement Plan is a live document that sets out how the people and organisations within the Strategy area will be involved and consulted, during the development of The Strategy. Our aim is to engage with the local community, businesses and public bodies along, and with an interest in, the Hayling Island coastline:
- To raise an awareness and understanding of coastal flood and erosion risk now and into the future with climate change
- To identify the challenges and constraints
- To identify broader outcome opportunities
- To develop community involvement in the decision-making process for managing our coastline.
- To listen to their comments and concerns
The flood mapping was updated during Part 1: HIFIS, the outputs of which can be seen in the story map, flood and erosion risk section. As part of the initial baseline assessment for the strategy, the flood mapping was further updated to align with the latest published climate change guidance (UKCP18). More information is available in the Draft Strategy consultation booklet available here.
The aim of a coastal management strategy is to identify appropriate management approaches and future schemes to put the high-level policies identified in the North Solent Shoreline Management Plan, in place. This involves the assessment of the best economic, environmental and social approach to managing risk. The outputs of the Strategy will also include an implementation programme of proposed works.
With this in mind, the scope for delivering the Hayling Island Coastal Management Strategy is in line with EA FCERM- Appraisal Guidance and is summarised as:
- A review of past studies and new information and integration with current schemes and studies
- Definition of the current and future coastal flooding and erosion risks to people and the developed, historic and natural environments
- Integration and alignment with the HBC Local Plan
- Identification of beneficiaries and opportunities for potential financial contributions for future FCERM schemes
- Identification of the preferred technically, economically and environmentally sound and sustainable strategic options for managing flood and erosion risks over the 100-year appraisal period
- Development of an implementation plan
- Involvement of stakeholders throughout the development of the Strategy
- Complying with environmental legislation and identify opportunities for environmental enhancement
- Integration of wider HBC initiatives such as place making, regeneration and amenity objective
The Strategy has taken into consideration the current Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and Surface Water Management Plans (where available). Hampshire County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority are responsible for the management of local sources of flooding which includes surface water.
The Hayling Island Funding and Implementation Strategy, undertaken prior to the start of the full strategy looked at important issues for a Strategy, including land use and potential impacts of former landfill sites around the island. There are several landfill sites along the Hayling Island coastline that are at risk of flooding and erosion. Coastal Partners have undertaken a desktop study of landfill locations and industrial sites to determine the levels of risk. The Strategy will identify the appropriate strategic approach to prevent the exposure of landfill materials into the environment or to remediate the source-pathway-receptor linkage that leads to hazards for these locations. The Strategy will also look to prioritise intervention and identify potential funding sources to allow implementation of approaches in the future.
The Strategy has engaged with utility companies to understand tidal flood risks to their assets. This information has fed into the development and appraisal of strategic options.
As well as structural approaches, the Strategy has looked at non-structural approaches to managing flood and erosion risk. Non-structural approaches typically fall into two categories: (1) measures which can be assessed, defined, and implemented in advance of flooding or erosion, such as flood forecasting or relocation of property; or (2) planned emergency response measures which are applied to help mitigate the effects of flooding or erosion, like flood warning or emergency response planning.
Specific analysis of the tide-locking impact on surface water flooding has not been undertaken as part of the Coastal Management Strategy. The Strategy has however taken into consideration the current Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and Surface Water Management Plans. Hampshire County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority are responsible for the management of local sources of flooding which includes surface water.
The latest climate change guidance update has now been published, setting out the climate change allowances that should be used for flood and coastal risk projects, schemes and strategies.
For further information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-and-coastal-risk-projects-schemes-and-strategiesclimate-change-allowances
The Regional Habitat Compensation Programme (RHCP) is a strategic programme run by the Environment Agency.
For further information, please visit: https://southerncoastalgroup.org.uk/regional-habitat-creation-programme/
Hayling Island is within the Solent and South Downs area, and Coastal Partners have led the Strategic and Tactical update of the RHCP for this area on behalf of the Environment Agency. The programme seeks to deliver new intertidal habitats to compensate for those lost through coastal squeeze or tidal inundation effects that arise from the management of coastal defences.
The RHCP has identified Northney Farm as a potential important future habitat creation opportunity to help meet the targets of the Solent and South Downs RHCP. Managed realignment opportunities at Northney Farm in the future also align with the long-term Shoreline Management Plan policy for this frontage, of ‘Hold the Line, but undertake further studies to consider managed realignment and regulated tidal exchange respectively’. The existing defences at Northney Farm are however already in a poor condition with a low estimated residual life (<10 years). There are unlikely to be public funds available to maintain or renew these defences in the short term and therefore further liaison with the landowners is required and discussions have been ongoing to determine the potential options for managing this frontage, with consideration of managed realignment in the future.
The HI Coastal Management Strategy has investigated opportunities for managed realignment here and in other locations in a strategic context in light of RHCP targets and the deteriorating condition of defences.
The Regional Habitat Compensation Programme (RHCP) is a strategic programme run by the Environment Agency.
For further information, please visit: https://southerncoastalgroup.org.uk/regional-habitat-creation-programme/
Hayling Island is within the Solent and South Downs area, and Coastal Partners have led the Strategic and Tactical update of the RHCP for this area on behalf of the Environment Agency. The programme seeks to deliver new intertidal habitats to compensate for those lost through coastal squeeze or tidal inundation effects that arise from the management of coastal defences.
The RHCP has identified Northney Farm as a potential important future habitat creation opportunity to help meet the targets of the Solent and South Downs RHCP. Managed realignment opportunities at Northney Farm in the future also align with the long-term Shoreline Management Plan policy for this frontage, of ‘Hold the Line, but undertake further studies to consider managed realignment and regulated tidal exchange respectively’. The existing defences at Northney Farm are however already in a poor condition with a low estimated residual life (<10 years). There are unlikely to be public funds available to maintain or renew these defences in the short term and therefore further liaison with the landowners is required and discussions have been ongoing to determine the potential options for managing this frontage, with consideration of managed realignment in the future.
The HI Coastal Management Strategy has investigated opportunities for managed realignment here and in other locations in a strategic context in light of RHCP targets and the deteriorating condition of defences.
The recreation activities figures quoted used the best available data to form a baseline and assess the economic damages and potential benefits for flood and coastal erosion risk management. The data was collated during the economic footprint study carried out last year, using the Outdoor Recreation Valuation (ORVaL) tool developed by the University of Exeter.
For further information, please visit: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/leep/research/orval/
The tool measures the value of currently available greenspace to the economy at various locations across the whole of the UK, including Hayling Island. Other coastal visitor surveys undertaken on Hayling Island were also analysed.
Throughout the delivery of the Strategy, we identified and sought out stakeholders to join the group who represented a key organisation, community, local interest group, landowner or business within the Hayling Community. Through initial collaboration with the Hayling Island Residents Association, we worked up an initial list who were all invited to attend the initial ‘Introduction to the Strategy’ session.
Yes, we are aware of the Hayling Island Infrastructure Advisory Group and members of the Coastal Partners team have previously attended meetings. Various members of that group are currently representing other stakeholder groups as part of the Strategy.