Study into management of the Estuary invites locals' views (From Gazette Series)

Study into management of the Estuary invites locals' views

9:00am Saturday 3rd October 2009 in

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PEOPLE living along the coast of the Severn Estuary are being asked for their views on how their coastline should be managed over the next 100 years.

As part of a major new study, a large-scale review of the current Shoreline Management Plan, which dates back to 2000, is being carried out by the Severn Estuary Coastal Group.

The group is a partnership of local authorities and other organisations - such as the Environment Agency - which manages coastal protection and flood defence issues.

The far-reaching review it is undertaking is called SMP2, which will enable planners and regulators to plan for - and manage - the way that the coast will change over the next century.

This could be by maintaining or improving flood defences, helping areas that are at risk of flooding, or ensuring future developments are not put at higher risk of flood or coastal erosion.

SMP2 is being project managed by the Environment Agency.

Once it is finished, local authorities and regulators with responsibilities for managing the shoreline will be asked to adopt it.

The public consultation process on the proposed policies that have been drafted was launched this week and closes on January 8, 2010.

A number of events open to the public will look at several areas of the Severn Estuary Shoreline Management Plan including: the history of Shoreline Management Plans, what work has already been done, asking local people their thoughts on what should be done in the future and asking local people for their comments on the proposed policies for their local areas.

Events are being held at Bristol City Sports and Social Club, Bristol, on Thursday, November 12 (2-6pm) and at Gloucester City Council offices on Friday, November 13 (2-6pm).

Dave Harris, chairman of the Severn Estuary Coastal Group said: "There are thousands of residential and commercial properties in the Severn Estuary at risk from flooding, erosion and climate change, as well as farms, historically important areas and environmental sites.

"We need to plan now for changes in the future. It is important that the decisions we all make today do not put additional burdens on future generations. We need the SMP2 to help everyone understand how the shoreline in the Estuary will change and be managed over the next 100 years. People need to be able to plan ahead and make decisions about their businesses, land, homes and investments.’ “We’d like to encourage anyone who lives or works around the Estuary to get involved in this consultation process."

‘We can’t shy away from these decisions we’re going to have to make plans to manage the way the coast changes over the next 100 years, it’s as simple as that I. hope as many people as possible attend this event - and other we intend to hold in the future – make their views known and give us information.”

The Severn Estuary Shoreline Management Plan document is available to download, for comment, from The Severn Estuary Coastal Group website at www.severnestuary.net/secg/