Cumulative Impact of Severe Weather in Cornwall: Winter 2013 / 2014
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Cumulative Impact of Severe Weather in Cornwall: Winter 2013 / 2014 Type of incident: Flooding and coastal damage caused by severe weather, strong winds, large waves, high tides and storm surges Report Date: 19 November 2014 V1.3 Lead Agency: Cornwall Council Author: Rob Andrew – Asst. Head of Service – Localism and Devolution and David Read Policy Specialist - Strategy and Policy Revision History Revision Date Version No. Summary of Change Changes made by 14 May 2014 0.1 Initial draft Rob Andrew 12 June 2014 0.2 Updated draft following meeting Rob Andrew Updated following feedback from 24 June 0.3 Rob Andrew DS, AR, SB, ER, AB and AS Updated following feedback from 30 June 0.4 MA, DR, AB, NB, GT, DR, SH and Rob Andrew MB 2 July 0.5 General update Rob Andrew Update following feedback from AS, 7 July 0.6 Rob Andrew BH, ER, DC, AB ,TL, SH and PD Updates following feedback from 14 July 0.7 David Read CS and general update Updates following feedback from 25 July 0.8 Hannah Harris, Rachael Bice and David Read SH and general update from DR General update – SWW, CCF, Small 18 August 0.9 Rob Andrew Ports etc. 27 August 0.10 Final Draft Update Rob Andrew 12 September 0.11 Finance and Exec Summary Update Rob Andrew 10 October 0.12 Flood support update David Read 15 October 2014 V1.1 Updated version – Full Report David Read 24 October V1.2 Figures updated Rob Andrew 19 November V1.3 Updated PAC comments David Read 2014 Distribution List Name Organisation TBC This Document is owned by Cornwall Council. Impact of Severe Weather in Cornwall – Winter 2013/2014 Report Date: October 2014 V1.2 DRAFT 2 Contents Contents 3 Impact of Severe Weather – Winter 2014 8 1. Introduction and Timeline 10 2. Impact Assessment 12 2.1 Key Infrastructure Impacts 12 2.1.2 Highway Infrastructure – Strategic Network Incidents 13 2.1.4 Rail Network 15 2.1.5 Air 15 2.1.6.1 Maritime facilities 16 2.1.6.2 Maritime Links 18 2.1.7 South West Coast Path 19 2.1.9 Heritage Assets 20 2.1.10 Flood Protection, Water Supply and Sewage Assets 21 2.1.11 Power and Communications Infrastructure 24 2.1.12 Public Buildings and Property 24 2.2.1 Evacuations and Flooded Properties 25 2.2.2 Work by volunteers, community groups and Town and Parish Councils 25 2.2.3 Local Support to Victims 26 2.2.4 Financial Support 26 2.2.5 Short and Long Term Health Implications 29 2.2.6 Community Engagement 30 2.2.7 Communications 30 2.3 Key Economic Impacts 31 2.3.1 Tourism 31 2.3.2 Retail 32 2.3.3 Manufacturing 33 2.3.4 Fishing 33 2.4 Key Environmental Impacts 35 2.4.1 Beaches and the coastline 35 2.4.2 Wildlife 37 2.4.3 Water ecology 37 2.4.4 Surface Water Run-off 38 2.4.5 Geology and Natural Landscape assets 38 Acknowledgements 40 Appendix 1 – Coastal Path Impacts 41 Appendix 2 – Green Infrastructure Impacts 43 Impact of Severe Weather in Cornwall – Winter 2013/2014 Report Date: October 2014 V1.2 DRAFT 3 Executive Summary Background From December 2013 to March 2014, Cornwall experienced a particularly prolonged period of severe stormy weather including heavy rains, high winds which on occasion coincided with spring tides and storm surges. This lead to severe sea conditions which caused considerable damage around the entire coast of Cornwall. Multi-agency Emergency Management procedures were being implemented almost continuously throughout this period with recovery work still ongoing. In many instances, particularly in relation to the highway infrastructure and the South West Coast Path, the storm damage compounded damage inflicted from the previous four years. As well as the obvious effects to Cornwall infrastructure and environment, the storms had social and economic impact. This report, the first produced in Cornwall of this type, looks to set out all of these impacts and the interdependencies as well as identifying measures that mitigate the impacts now and in the future. Strategic Overview Cornwall is particularly vulnerable to weather impacts on its transport and distribution network due to its peripheral and linear geography and its consequent reliance on a limited number of highway, air and rail routes. Cornwall was impacted by twelve major storm events between December 2013 and March 2014. Huge damage was caused to coastal infrastructure in numerous locations and it is estimated that £4.4m of interim and £17.0m of permanent capital repairs were required as a result of damage. An estimated £8.2m was lost from visitors not coming to Cornwall in January/February 2014 alone. First Great Western reported a loss of two thirds of passengers into Cornwall and Devon while the Dawlish line was closed, despite alternative transport being provided. These impacts and consequences are highlighted in this report but the summary for Cornwall can be expressed as follows: • Extreme rainfall causes delay and failure of highway infrastructure; exacerbated by potholes and cumulative repair backlogs. • Coastal storm surges and sea level rise resulted in the suspension of strategic transport links into Cornwall and critical coastal infrastructure. • Severe storms and high winds mean that the Tamar Bridge is closed to high sided vehicles relatively regularly, and sometimes to all traffic. There are limited alternative routes. • Minor roads are affected by falling trees and power cables. These are key distribution routes for local business and bus routes for those who don’t run a car. • Rough weather will also impact on air services, particularly connectivity with the Isles of Scilly, where supply vulnerability is an even more immediate issue. Funding support from Government and planning for extreme weather in Cornwall has reaped dividends in the past: • Defences for St.Ives and Truro centres following 1980s and 1990s flooding • St.Blazey and Par showed improved flood resilience following recent improvements to defences and drainage. • Network Rail delivered an exceptional and quick rebuild of Dawlish • Multi agency reaction in Cornwall was effective. Impact of Severe Weather in Cornwall – Winter 2013/2014 Report Date: October 2014 V1.2 DRAFT 4 However, there are some outstanding strategic issues: • Long term resilience and feasibility of the rail network into Cornwall • Reduction in the bureaucracy in seeking military assistance to undertake condition surveys of coastal assets • The Flood Defence Grant and Aid benefits populous areas but not those like Cornwall where infrastructure is limited and put under additional strain by visitor numbers. Cornwall would like to see this addressed. • Bid documentation funding for grant funding is too simplistic & does not take into account the scale of the infrastructure that requires reparatory works. Cornwall – together with other partners in the peninsula – want to be able to establish an economic impact methodology for prolonged and severe weather. Many of the consequences of the impacts highlighted in this report have had an economic consequence. This includes; delay, damage, impact on supply chains and loss of earnings. Cornish communities battled through the storms to keep local economies and public and voluntary services going; but these impact issues need to be captured before they are forgotten. As a guide, previous estimates made by Cornwall Council of the storms in November and December 2012 indicated that the Cornish economy lost at least £60m. A summary of our strategic asks • Enabling resources to support connectivity away from the main Highway infrastructure • Support to clear and maintain the drainage infrastructure, which will also aid Cornwall’s growth ambitions. • That capital project partnerships (not just public money) recognise in many instances the vulnerability and importance of the built environment for Cornish communities. • The need for a bespoke Cornwall Strategic Flood Deal Package to enable long term strategic programming against the likelihood of extreme weather, rather than a year on year bidding process, delivering efficiencies and economies of scale. This would also deliver more certainty for communities with a strategic rather than a project approach. This links to confidence to deliver the Growth Deal agreed with Government. The growth agenda can also help deliver a more accessible public realm and coastal stretches. Resilience will deliver growth and growth will deliver resilience. A summary of our local asks • Strategic energy supply policy to ensure that Cornwall does not face blackouts at a time of severe weather • Recognition of the importance, time and resources to develop economic impact methodology after these events and capture intelligence during them to support resource allocation. Physical Impacts All of Cornwall was impacted in some way during the severe weather. This included flooding of property and land at Wadebridge Perranporth, Looe, St Ives, Bude, Portreath, Penzance, Fowey, Mevagissey and Penryn. Coastal impacts include damage to sea defences, beaches, piers, breakwaters, harbours and cliffs. The coast and cycle network paths damaged across Cornwall. Damage to the infrastructure was widespread full details are set out in the report. Social Impacts Throughout the winter there were a number of evacuations. In February residents in Porthtowan and Bude were advised to leave their houses because of predicted tidal surges and evacuation centres were opened. In Kingsand on 4 February residents were evacuated at the height of the storm as were residents in Portholland and Penzance on 14 February. Impact of Severe Weather in Cornwall – Winter 2013/2014 Report Date: October 2014 V1.2 DRAFT 5 Financial Impacts Coastal assets: Most of the damage occurred at times of Spring Tides. In the periods between Spring Tides, particularly during mid-January and mid-February significant interim repair works were undertaken to protect life and property and to minimise further damage.