The Coastal Zone Environment
17
policy is implemented at specific sites. It is generally accepted within the literature that
coasts around the UK are physically unique and distinct, and have their own problems
and conflicts. An important part of coastal management is the interpretation of national
policy at local level.
Although coastal management needs to evolve further, there have, within
recent years, been “remarkable changes in attitudes and practices of management of the
shoreline” (Hooke and Bray, 1995, p. 336). Perhaps the most significant of these
changes is the realisation that management can be based on the concept of the sediment
cell. Indeed, MAFF sees this concept as the linchpin of modern integrated coastal zone
management because it offers the opportunity for administrative structures to be much
more closely related to natural forms and process units along the coast.
The major advances made with sediment cells are the setting up of voluntary
coastal defence groups, and encouraging Coastal Protection Authorities (CPAs) to
initiate Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs). The coastal defence groups have been
able to provide a much needed regional contact for co-ordinating and exchanging
information, so that the works of one CPA at the coast will not adversely affect the
coast of an adjacent CPA. Likewise, SMPs have given CPAs the opportunity to develop
sustainable coastal defence and conservation policies within a sediment cell, and to set
objectives for the future management of the coast (MAFF, 1995).
The main focus of an SMP is on coastal defence and protection. It is
recognised today that new defence and protection techniques must take account of
natural processes, particularly sediment movement, which take place at the coast. The
most successful of these techniques is arguably beach nourishment or recharge. Beach
recharge appears to cause little disruption to natural processes, and evidence from the
Netherlands, where nourishment schemes are actively used, suggest that the
environment suffers few adverse effects.
As a nation, our awareness of conservation issues appears to have grown over
the past fifty years. This view is justified by the numerous site designations that have
been made to protect the environment, and the inclusion of the natural environment as
an important consideration within SMPs. The growth of interest in these issues at the
coast has caused controversy within coastal management, especially where conservation
priorities have clashed with the needs and wishes of business and local residents at the
coast. In many respects, such conflicts belie any advances in coastal zone management,
as in essence, they are a consequence of poor planning, co-ordination, and hazard
management, which have heightened the problems of flooding, erosion and threats to
the built and natural environment. However, SMPs should provide a forum for all
interests at the coast to arrive at an agreeable solution for all. While little information
currently exists for any proposals of an SMP covering the study area, it is important to
recognise that it will be beneficial for conservation agencies, businesses and local
residents, to discuss their concerns. At the same time, new defence and protection
measures will be developed with respect to conservation priorities so that future
conflicts may be avoided. In this way, coastal management is becoming properly
integrated.
There are, however, problems with basing coastal management solely on
sediment cells. Hooke and Bray (1995) debate their usefulness, arguing that the cells are
17
policy is implemented at specific sites. It is generally accepted within the literature that
coasts around the UK are physically unique and distinct, and have their own problems
and conflicts. An important part of coastal management is the interpretation of national
policy at local level.
Although coastal management needs to evolve further, there have, within
recent years, been “remarkable changes in attitudes and practices of management of the
shoreline” (Hooke and Bray, 1995, p. 336). Perhaps the most significant of these
changes is the realisation that management can be based on the concept of the sediment
cell. Indeed, MAFF sees this concept as the linchpin of modern integrated coastal zone
management because it offers the opportunity for administrative structures to be much
more closely related to natural forms and process units along the coast.
The major advances made with sediment cells are the setting up of voluntary
coastal defence groups, and encouraging Coastal Protection Authorities (CPAs) to
initiate Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs). The coastal defence groups have been
able to provide a much needed regional contact for co-ordinating and exchanging
information, so that the works of one CPA at the coast will not adversely affect the
coast of an adjacent CPA. Likewise, SMPs have given CPAs the opportunity to develop
sustainable coastal defence and conservation policies within a sediment cell, and to set
objectives for the future management of the coast (MAFF, 1995).
The main focus of an SMP is on coastal defence and protection. It is
recognised today that new defence and protection techniques must take account of
natural processes, particularly sediment movement, which take place at the coast. The
most successful of these techniques is arguably beach nourishment or recharge. Beach
recharge appears to cause little disruption to natural processes, and evidence from the
Netherlands, where nourishment schemes are actively used, suggest that the
environment suffers few adverse effects.
As a nation, our awareness of conservation issues appears to have grown over
the past fifty years. This view is justified by the numerous site designations that have
been made to protect the environment, and the inclusion of the natural environment as
an important consideration within SMPs. The growth of interest in these issues at the
coast has caused controversy within coastal management, especially where conservation
priorities have clashed with the needs and wishes of business and local residents at the
coast. In many respects, such conflicts belie any advances in coastal zone management,
as in essence, they are a consequence of poor planning, co-ordination, and hazard
management, which have heightened the problems of flooding, erosion and threats to
the built and natural environment. However, SMPs should provide a forum for all
interests at the coast to arrive at an agreeable solution for all. While little information
currently exists for any proposals of an SMP covering the study area, it is important to
recognise that it will be beneficial for conservation agencies, businesses and local
residents, to discuss their concerns. At the same time, new defence and protection
measures will be developed with respect to conservation priorities so that future
conflicts may be avoided. In this way, coastal management is becoming properly
integrated.
There are, however, problems with basing coastal management solely on
sediment cells. Hooke and Bray (1995) debate their usefulness, arguing that the cells are