House of Commons - Agriculture - Sixth Report

Select Committee on Agriculture Sixth Report

APPENDIX 23

Memorandum submitted by Havant Borough Council (F35)

Further to your letter dated 6 March inviting evidence I am taking the opportunity to advise the Parliamentary Committee of the views of Havant Borough.

The Borough of Havant is situated in the East Solent on the South Coast and has a south facing beach frontage of 8.5 km that is exposed to channel storms. Of this the Borough Council owns 4.6 km. This beach is extremely volatile and susceptible to failure in extreme storms which can lead to flooding and property damage.

There is also a harbour frontage of 36.9 km of which the Borough Council owns 5.4 km. The harbours are more sheltered than the beach and the principal threat comes from sea level rise. The harbours provide important wildlife habitats.

The Borough currently spends £200,000 per annum on Coast Protection, Shingle Management and monitoring of Coastal Processes. The Borough has not received grant aid from MAFF since March 1996.

The Council is preparing a Strategy for coast protection in co-operation with the Environment Agency and anticipates that if approved this will include Coast Protection schemes with a total value of £2 million that will attract MAFF grant aid over the next five years.

The Borough Council has been a member of the local regional coastal group, SCOPAC (The Standing Conference on Problems associated with the Coastline) since it was formed in 1986.

The Borough has been active in preparing the Shoreline Management plan for the East Solent inco-operation with adjoining Coast Protection Authorities and the Environment Agency.

1. The Borough of Havant fully supports the evidence submitted by the Local Government Association on behalf of Maritime district Councils, Unitary Authorities and Regional Coastal Groups.

2. The Borough Council believes that the Coastal Defence option can be delivered most effectively by local authorities with their detailed knowledge of local coastal conditions. They are able to undertake this function within the context of the management of the Coastal Zone taking account of the interconnected issues that they currently deal with (Development control, tourism, landowner, beach and promenade management, amenities and recreation, water quality and public health, public safety, countryside management and oil spill response).

3. The Council does not believe that the interests of its residents would be better served by a regional body which would be unable to benefit from the detailed knowledge that the Borough Council holds. It would also not be able to utilise the synergy that exists within the Council between different groups of operatives undertaking tasks within the coastal zone. (eg Beach patrols and litter pickers can alert other staff to beach movement and storm damage.)

4. The Borough Council believes that it is essential to involve the Coastal Groups and their constituent authorities in any new structure proposed for the delivery of the coastal defence function.

5. The Borough Council strongly supports the need for close co-operation over the full range of coastal plans and strategies in collaboration with other agencies and consultees eg Harbour Authorities and English Nature. Many of these plans, estuary and harbour plans, coastal zone plans and statutory local plans are locally produced. It is important that issues decided at a strategic level are owned by local elected representatives so that they may be properly implemented. This is better achieved by involving local authorities in the strategic planning process rather than having a regional body administering the coast protection function.

16 April 1998

© Parliamentary copyright 1998
Prepared 5 August 1998