Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review Isle of Grain to South Foreland SMP Review 2010 Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review Contents Amendment Record This report has been issued and amended as follows: Issue Revision Description Date Approved by 1 0 Consultation Draft 01.05.07 S McFarland Amendments following public 1 11.03.08 N Pontee consultation 2 Amendments following QRG review 08.07.09 N Pontee Amendments following 2nd QRG T Edwards 3 26.02.10 Review N Pontee Amendments following 3rd QRG 4 27.04.10 T Edwards Review Halcrow Group Limited Burderop Park, Swindon, Wiltshire SN4 0QD Tel +44 (0)1793 812479 Fax +44 (0)1793 812089 www.halcrow.com Halcrow Group Limited has prepared this report in accordance with the instructions of their client, Canterbury City Council, for their sole and specific use. Any other persons who use any information contained herein do so at their own risk. © Halcrow Group Limited 2010 Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 The Shoreline Management Plan ........................................................................................ 1 1.2 Structure of the SMP .......................................................................................................... 10 1.3 The Plan Development Process ....................................................................................... 12 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................... 20 2.1 Strategic Environmental Assessment Background ....................................................... 20 2.2 The Appraisal Process ...................................................................................................... 21 2.3 Stakeholder Engagement .................................................................................................. 22 2.4 The Existing Environment ................................................................................................. 22 2.5 Environmental Objectives ................................................................................................. 23 2.6 Identification and Review of Possible Policy Scenarios ................................................ 23 2.7 Environmental Effects of the Preferred Plan................................................................... 24 2.8 Monitoring and Further Study Requirements ................................................................. 24 2.9 Appropriate Assessment ................................................................................................... 25 2.10 Water Framework Directive Assessment ........................................................................ 25 3 BASIS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN ............................................................................... 26 3.1 Historical Perspective ........................................................................................................ 26 3.2 Sustainable Policy ............................................................................................................. 27 4 THE PREFERRED PLAN............................................................................................................... 36 4.1 Plan for Balanced Sustainability ...................................................................................... 36 4.2 Predicted Implications of the Preferred Plan .................................................................. 42 4.3 Managing the Change ........................................................................................................ 47 5 POLICY STATEMENTS ................................................................................................................. 49 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 49 5.2 Content ................................................................................................................................ 49 6 ACTION PLAN……………………………………………………………………………………………125 GLOSSARY APPENDICES Appendix A SMP DEVELOPMENT Appendix B STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review Appendix C BASELINE PROCESS UNDERSTANDING Appendix D SEA ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT Appendix E ISSUE AND OBJECTIVE EVALUATION Appendix F INITIAL POLICY APPRAISAL AND SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT Appendix G PREFERRED POLICY SCENARIO TESTING Appendix H ECONOMIC APPRAISAL AND SENSITIVITY TESTING Appendix I METADATABASE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE Appendix J HABITATS REGULATIONS ASSESSMENT (AA) Appendix K WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE ASSESSMENT Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review 1 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Shoreline Management Plan A Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) provides a large-scale assessment of the risks associated with coastal evolution and presents a policy framework to address these risks to people and the developed, historic and natural environment in a sustainable manner. In doing so, an SMP is a high-level document that forms an important part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) strategy for flood and coastal defence (Defra, 20011). This document provides the first revision to the original Isle of Grain to South Foreland SMP (19962). Figure 1.1a and 1.1b3 shows the area covered by the SMP. Figure 1.1a Policy Units: Isle of Grain to South Foreland, 4a01 to 4a10 1 Defra (2001) National Appraisal of Assets at Risk, from flooding and coastal erosion, including the potential impact of climate change. 2 Halcrow (1996) North Kent Coast Isle of Grain to Dover Harbour Shoreline Management Plan. Prepared for Canterbury City Council 3 The Ordnance Survey mapping included within this publication is provided by Canterbury City Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfil its public function to act as the lead authority for the review of the Shoreline Management Plan (Isle of Grain to South Foreland). Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice where they wish to licence Ordnance Survey map data for their own use. Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review 2 Figure 1.1b Policy Units: Isle of Grain to South Foreland, 4a10 to 4b26. Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review 3 1.1.1 Relationship with other plans Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) provide large-scale assessments of the risks associated with coastal processes for a specified length of coastline, and present policy frameworks to manage these risks. As such, SMPs sit at the top of a hierarchy of plans that proceeds from SMPs to Strategy Plans to specific scheme designs, as shown in Table 1.1. Table 1.1 Structure of Flood & Erosion Risk Planning in England & Wales Type of Plan Purpose Scale Shoreline Management Plans Aim to identify policies to >150km Coast / River manage coastal flood and Catchment erosion risks, deliver a wide ranging assessment of risks, opportunities, limits and areas of uncertainty Strategies Aim to identify appropriate 10-30km coast/ river schemes to put the policies into practice, identify the preferred approach, including economic and environmental decisions Schemes Aim to identify the type of work <5km to put the preferred scheme into practice, compares different options for putting the preferred scheme into practice Throughout the SMP process it has been important to work closely with other studies and projects to make sure that these plans are co-ordinated and coherent. A range of plans are being developed / have been developed to co-ordinate works for Flood and Erosion risk management in North Kent which link with the SMP and include: Medway and Swale Estuary Shoreline Management Plan This SMP covers the Medway Estuary & the Swale and is the first SMP drafted for this area. It covers the Medway Estuary from the tidal limit at Allington Lock down river to the mouth between the Isle of Grain and Sheerness; and along the Swale from the Medway to its mouth in the east, between Shell Ness (Isle of Sheppey) and Faversham Creek. This SMP was prepared in parallel with the Isle of Grain to South Foreland SMP Review with the same client steering group and consultant to ensure compatibility between the two SMPs. South Foreland to Beachy Head SMP 1st Review This SMP covers the coast adjacent to the Isle of Grain to South Foreland SMP2 at South Foreland westwards along the South Kent & Sussex coast to Beachy Head near Eastbourne. This SMP was Isle of Grain to South Foreland Shoreline Management Plan Review 4 completed in 2005, is adopted and its action plan is being implemented. Strategies are being developed from this SMP for this area. Policies at the interface between this SMP and the Isle of Grain to South Foreland SMP Review are identical (No Active Intervention) allowing cliff erosion to continue, ensuring compatibility between the two SMPs. Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) Strategy The TE2100 overlaps with the boundaries of the Isle of Grain to South Foreland SMP2 at the Isle of Grain, and extends up the Thames Estuary and river to Teddington Lock. The Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) Project is an Environment Agency initiative to develop a Flood Risk Management Plan for London and the Thames Estuary for the next 100 years. The policies for the first epoch (next