Published on Wednesday 02 October 2019
Cabinet will be asked to approve the submission of the Outline Business Case to the Environment Agency for funding of ongoing coast protection works.
Poole bay beach management scheme provides coastal protection to the coastal frontages of Poole and Bournemouth. Without the continuation of coast protection works, over the next 100 years, significant numbers of residential and commercial properties would be lost to erosion along with highways and supporting infrastructure. The potential adverse impact to the tourism economy and amenity benefit would be on a scale of local, regional and national importance.
Councillor Dr Felicity Rice, portfolio holder for environment said:
"The effects of global warming mean that sea levels are going to be rising significantly and strategically planning our coastal protection is vital to protect homes in the area."
The ongoing beach management project consists of cyclic beach replenishment to maintain a beach level that provides the primary coastal erosion measure. This is complimented by an ongoing groyne renewal programme as the secondary level of coastal erosion protection, providing the replacement of life expired structures over the period of the project to improve the retention of the beach fill material off shore and giving protection to the seawall.
There is a requirement for BCP Council as the Coast Protection Authority to implement appropriate works under the local Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategies, namely the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP2) 2011 and the Poole & Wareham FCRM Strategy 2014.
As part of the report to cabinet, BCP Council will also be asked to consider a capital contribution of £3.3m to the next phases of the project, which will unlock £33m of combined government Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA) and Local Levy.