Workshop 16 th February 2012 Portsmouth, Havant & Gosport - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Workshop 16th February 2012

Portsmouth, Havant & Gosport Coastal Team Partnership Working

James Addicott Coastal Project Engineer - Coastal Partnership

Coastal Management Shared Service Authorities

2012 Fareham Havant Borough Council Portsmouth City Council Gosport Borough Council Fareham Borough Council 2008 PCC & HBC Partnership 2009 Gosport SLA

Coastal Defence Partnership Manager Assistant Coastal Defence Partnership Manager

Coastal Engineer Career Grades Coastal Engineer Career Grades Technician Coastal Engineer Career Grades Coastal Surveyor

Assistant Head of Service (Operations) Partnership Client Manager (PCC) Head of Planning & Built Environment Partnership Client Manager (HBC) Housing Services Manager Partnership Client Manager (GBC) Coastal Project Engineer Coastal Project Engineer

Coastal Engineer Career Grades Coastal Engineer Career Grades Coastal Project Engineer Coastal Engineer Career Grades Coastal Engineer Career Grades

Head of Environment and Conservation Partnership Client Manager (FBC)

Asset Management / Asset Inspection & Maintenance / Flood Response Survey & Research Capital Project Design & Implementation (Portsea Island & Eastoke) Coastal Policy & Strategies (SMP / CDS / SFRA / LDF / DC)

Cabinet Member for Environment Partnership Joint Member Board (PCC) Planning and Built Environment Portfolio Partnership Joint Member Board (HBC) Chairman of Community and Environment Board Partnership Joint Member Board (GBC) Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Environment Partnership Joint Member Board (FBC)

Structure of the day – Morning Facilitator – Terry Fuller

Item Time Description Duration Objectives to be achieved* Refreshments & Registration 09.30 Teas / Coffee available 30 mins Welcome Lyall Cairns 10.00 Introduction to the day 5 mins 1 Facilitator Terry Fuller 10.05 Structure of the day/ Arrangements 5 mins Presentation 1 Gavin Holder 10.10 Setting context of study against previous work. 10mins 1 Presentation 2 Steve Thompsett 10.20 Introduction to technical nature of study + delivery

• f results

10mins 1 Breakout Session A 10.30 Spatial boundaries and networks 45mins 2 Break 11.15 Break 15mins Breakout Session B 11.30 Barriers and Opportunities 60mins 3 Lunch 12.30 Lunch 30mins

Structure of the day - Afternoon

Feedback 13.00 Sessions A and B 20 mins Presentation 3 Heather Coutts 13.20 Farlington Marshes – The Case Study 15 mins 4 Breakout Session C 13.35 Clearing the Hurdles! 45mins 5 + 8 Break 14.20 Break 10 mins Feedback 14.30 Session C Feedback from each group (5 mins each) 30 mins Discussion 15.00 40 mins Summary of the day 15.40 What next? Sum-up 5 mins Meeting Close 15.45

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Presentation 1 – Background and Context

The Key Issues

• Long-term FCR Management in the

wider Solent

• Importance of Roosting Sites in the

wider Solent

• Value of Roosting sites to other

sectoral interests (Recreation,

Biodiversity etc)

• Other issues:

(Regeneration, Funding, meeting Legislative pressures, Regional Habitat Management)

Management Challenges – Designations

• Coastal Change Pressures
• Compensatory Habitat for Losses

(Natural and Human Derived)

• Complex Network of Sites across the Solent –

Each site is unique, but they share some or all of the following common issues: landscape, heritage, amenity, recreation (coastal access), salt marsh, mudflat, freshwater habitats, coastal grazing marsh, BAP habitat species, environmental designations SPA, SAC, Ramsar, SSSI, saline lagoons, reed beds, unvegetated shingle (Cheniers), agriculture, wet grassland, wader and wildfowl feeding and roost sites, estuaries.

Management Challenges - FCERM

North Solent SMP Actions

• Priority Action No. 2: “Investigate mitigation measures, required arising from flood

risk management works, for maintaining function of Solent-wide network of high tide roost sites.”

• Priority Action No. 3: “From a flood risk management works perspective, undertake

further studies to identify and understand the location, features and function of the Solent-wide network of high tide roost sites (as far as it is identified) and the likely consequences on the ability of the network to continue to function if one or more sites were to be damaged or lost (through managed or unmanaged realignment) linked to flood risk management works.”

Aim of this Scoping Study

The aim of the scoping study is:

• To fully scope the requirements for a future detailed study on

sustaining and enhancing the integrity of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites. This will have an emphasis on high water roost sites and identify key influences that impact strategic land use. Boundaries? Hurst Spit to Pagham Harbour and the Isle of Wight

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Presentation 2 – Methodology

Methodology - Objectives

1. Establish a stakeholder group 2. Summarise spatial boundaries (inc. linkages across sites) 3. Confirm the understanding of existing information 4. Establish issues – Solent Wide and Site Specific 5. Begin process of identifying sites suitable for habitat compensation (complement the Regional Habitat Creation Programme). 6. Explore the process that decision makers need to go through to develop compensation sites / mitigation measures 7. Develop a set of prioritised costed proposals for further studies 8. Develop an Action Plan 9. Produce a final report

Methodology - Partnering

A Partnering approach:

• HPGCP
• Atkins
• Jacobs
• Key Stakeholders

Engagement Key to success:

• Two Workshops
• Face to face Meetings
• Expert panel
• Wider Stakeholder Group

Methodology – Building in Existing Understanding

• Data Collection & Review (Identify Key Issues)
• Workshop 1 – (Today) – Gather the Facts
• Data Collection & Review (Understanding of Gaps/Issues)
• Consolidation of Findings
• Workshop 2 – (Late March) – Agreeing the Way Forward
• Scoping Report and Prioritised Action Plan

Methodology – Programme

• January to April
• Workshop 2 – Proposed for late March
• Final Scoping Report by end of April
• ‘Resourced’ and Prioritised Action Plan by end of April

Data Collection/Review Workshop 1

x

Consolidate Understanding Draft Action Plan Workshop 2

x

Reporting Jan Feb March April

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

BREAKOUT SESSION 1 Spatial Boundaries and Networks

Breakout 1 – Questions

1. The scoping study will focus on the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites, with a proposed boundary of Hurst Spit to Pagham Harbour, including the Isle of Wight as marked on the map. Do you consider this spatial coverage suitable, and if not, what changes would you make, and why? Please sketch this on your map. 2. Within this Solent network of sites, which sites do you feel are currently of key importance:

• to roosting birds;
• for their amenity value;
• due to other notable reasons?

Please mark these sites on the map, with annotations;

3. Considering the Solent as a network of strategic sites (as above), what are your thoughts on the way in which sites link together to operate as a network of sites. Please annotate these links on the map (for example, roost sites that support an inter-tidal area during high tide).

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

BREAKOUT SESSION 2 Barriers and Opportunities

Breakout 2 – Questions

• What do you perceive as the key barriers in managing change across the

Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites? – A) Solent Wide – B) Site specific

• What additional research, studies and data would help identify and

resolve pressures to the Solent wide network of sites, given the barriers and opportunities available?

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Lunch – 30 minutes

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Feedback on Sessions A and B

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Presentation 3 – Site Specific Examples

Farlington Marshes Feasibility Study

Key Study Objectives:

• Identify and investigate a range of options to manage future

environmental change at Farlington Marshes;

• Investigate habitat compensation requirements;
• Consider parallel issues such as flood risk and access/recreation;
• Work with and engage key stakeholders about the options
• Provide a planned way forward for the site

The Study Options

• Option 1: No Active Intervention;
• Option 2A: Hold the Line (Maintain by doing minimum);
• Option 2B: Hold the Line (Sustain the level of flood defence);
• Option 3A: Full realignment to the A27, with active breaching of the

redundant sea wall;

• Option 3B: Full realignment to the A27, with maintenance of the existing sea

wall for 20 years;

• Option 3B (Modified): Full realignment to the A27, with maintenance and

gradual rebuild of sea wall at current crest level over appraisal period; and

• Option 3C: Partial realignment, with active breaching of the redundant sea

wall.

Farlington Marshes: Technical work areas Technical studies included:

• Sea wall condition assessment and a breach risk analysis
• Hydrodynamic modelling and geomorphological analysis
• Fluvial flood risk modelling
• Economic appraisal of the options
• Review of relevant ecological data and an appraisal of implications of
• ptions for the designated interest features of the nature conservation sites.

Study was detailed, ongoing for ~2 years – this is unlikely to be feasible or cost effective for all sites. The main lessons learned from this project need to be taken forward for other sites within the Solent

Key Site Issues & Stakeholder Concerns

• Impacts of options on the designated features of the SPA/Ramsar/SAC
• Provision of compensatory habitats
• Value of the site as a recreational/amenity resource
• Geomorphological impacts on Langstone Harbour
• Impacts of options on flood risk
• Economic viability of each of the options considered

The latter 3 issues were comparatively easier to address

Recommendations

• Study identified a recommended option:

– Maintain in short term (20yrs), add culvert gate to protect urban areas from tidal flooding – Partial realignment from medium term (Option 3C)

• Alternative option proposed:

– Same short term actions – Full realignment but maintain & rebuild sea wall into long term (Option 3B Modified) BOTH recommended options require compensatory habitat But both options also had a clear pathway through the Habitats Regs

Lessons Learned

• Careful consideration needs to be given to the detail and timing of
• ptions.
• The ‘replace-ability’ of each HTR site needs to be determined on a case

by case basis.

• Compensation is the issue that tends to limit the ability to move forward,

in terms of:

• 1. Agreeing the requirements for compensation
• 2. Identifying suitable compensation areas within a very limited

availability

• Availability of land and means of ‘securing’ it is a key issue going

forward

• Issues could be more closely examined during reviews of Coastal

Defence Strategies?

Other Site Issues

Investigations of a number of other key sites in the Solent have been undertaken on an ad-hoc basis. Typical issues that may affect decision-making include:

• Landowner aspirations
• Land drainage and flood risk
• Impacts on agricultural businesses/practices
• Presence of other infrastructure or services

(N.B. These issues are in addition to those highlighted within the Farlington case study)

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

BREAKOUT SESSION 3 Clearing the Hurdles!

Breakout 3 – Questions 1

• How might we overcome the top 5 barriers identified before

lunch? – Legislation/policy – Funding – FCRM limitations – Specific data gaps! – clarity on the collective understanding

Breakout 3 – Questions 2 and 3

• How could sites, with potential to provide

compensatory high tide roost, be realised? How much investigation would be required to enable a Go/NoGo decision?

• What do you think your organisation may be able to

contribute to this?

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Feedback on Session C

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

Questions/Discussion

Scoping Study for the future of the Solent wide network of strategic environmental sites

SUM UP and Next Steps

Sum-up

• Circulation of the Notes from today - within next 10days
• Contact after Workshop 1

Further thoughts from attendees on the way home!

• Steve Thompsett

07796 273959

• Gavin Holder

07720 076277 Future contact/involvement

• Workshop 2 – proposed Wednesday 28th March
• Is there anyone else we should have invited?

Thank you for coming