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Severn Estuary Strategy

Severn Estuary Strategy. Vicky Durston Strategy Engagement Officer Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Wessex Area 14 May 2013. What are we trying to Achieve?. Planning for climate change Managing defences Prioritising investment Meeting legal obligations (mainly Habitat Regs).

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Severn Estuary Strategy

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  1. Severn Estuary Strategy Vicky Durston Strategy Engagement Officer Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Wessex Area 14 May 2013

  2. What are we trying to Achieve? • Planning for climate change • Managing defences • Prioritising investment • Meeting legal obligations (mainly Habitat Regs)

  3. Where we were (2011 consultation) • Defra 2006 SLR • Put lines on maps for Managed realignments policy in SMP • Tried to compensate for all change to designated habitat (natural and FCRM) • Assumed adoption of SMP had paved the way for Strategy • Feedback from consultation – communities affected by MR (about 1% of estuary population) not happy • Re-think at all levels, involved the Minister

  4. Technical changes • Sea level rise predictions reduced (and acknowledge that current measurements are even less) • FCRM strategy need only consider coastal squeeze on FCRM assets • Natural change is inevitable (e.g. mudflats will submerge)

  5. Engagement changes • Strategy comms officers kick started long term local discussion groups • Confirmation that compulsory purchase won’t be used for MR • Choices for landowners if EA can’t continue as before • No lines on maps therefore no blighting of landholding

  6. 2013 consultation • On-line consultation exercise, targeted at those previously most affected • Reflect community boundaries rather than just flood cells • Monitoring to ensure timing of actions reflects actual SLR rather than computer models/predictions, so less about epochs • Hosted by SEP, joint EA /NRW • www.environment-agency.gov.uk/severnestuary

  7. Where are we with compensatory habitat? • Steart coastal change project underway • Negotiations well advanced at sites at Alvington, Congresbury Yeo • Lower end of estimate of losses covered • If SLR increases, we expect other landowners to take up the option

  8. Steart – Scheme under construction Severn Estuary Parrett Estuary Intertidal Habitat Freshwater Habitat Tidally Regulated Habitat Saving wetlands for wildlife & people

  9. Summary- a different way of working • Localism impacts on strategies • Have to keep long term options open – partnership working • Less prescriptive, more adaptive • Now have better communication with communities

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