HAZARDS AND DANGERS THAT EXIST

LOSS OF INCOME

• The coastline is extremely important from a great many viewpoints. The foreshore has a large number of uses, such as sailing, bathing and fishing and is an important recreational and commercial area. There are a large number of properties both along the beach crest and immediately behind it which would be at risk of damage if further deterioration of the sea defences is not prevented.
• In the absence of improved defences, the beach will continue to erode, which in turn will reduce the strength of the sea defences. In the immediate term, the properties on the beach crest will be subject to a growing danger of subsidence and storm damage. In the medium to long term, or under particularly severe storm conditions, the greatest threat is from a breach of the sea defences. This could cause damage to several thousand properties. Grazing pastures and wildlife habitats in the Hooe Flats and Pevensey Levels would be lost and the roads and railway would be harmed and possibly closed. Some of the damage could be permanent.
• The cost of the damage from flooding would amount to several tens of millions of pounds and in past cases of breaches and flooding at other locations there has been a loss of life.

FLOOD/STORM SURGE

• The coastline of the South East is subject to huge dynamic forces and is largely the product of ongoing management for both flood defence and coastal protection reasons. Climate change is placing further pressures on this heavily managed coastline. Inundation by the sea is largely due to combinations of high tide, storm surge and wave activity but may also be associated with structural failure of defences.
• Significant stretches of our coastline and rivers are monitored each year by the Environment Agency to assist with coastal and river management decision making. There is considerable development pressure in the South East for new housing both on greenfield sites, and also on previously developed brownfield sites that are often located in floodplains. The Environment Agency seeks to discourage inappropriate development in the floodplain and to enforce compliance with Bye Laws. It will be vital to focus more strongly on Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which usetechniques to control surface water run-off as close to its origin as possible before it enters a watercourse.