HIRA Flooding Meeting Allays Fears.

- Tue 22nd Apr 2008

HIRA Report for May 2008-04-20


The HIRA open meeting on flooding and sea defences was 'flooded out' with Islanders wishing to hear about the actions being taken to ensure that Hayling would be protected adequately in the future. Attendance was over 70 people and the reduced size hall was barely able to cope.

Paul Fisher introduced the presentations which were by Lyall Cairns of Havant Borough, responsible for erosion issues along the beach and Ian Tripp of the Environment Agency, responsible for flood protection, mainly on the land fronting the harbours. Paul had to apologise that the numbers present precluded the possibility of refreshments being provided during the evening, given that the normal kitchen was closed for the alterations to the hall.

Lyall has been involved with and is responsible for managing the Hayling sea defences and for many years has been the best source of local information on the topic. His presentation covered many related topics and a few key aspects are reported here.

First, he made the point that defending your property is your own responsibility and that the council only is involved when the total loss of asset value in some way matches the cost of providing suitable protection for a locality. Thus more houses in an area justify greater expenditure than fewer. For this reason Eastoke has been the priority, because of the total value of property that can be protected is greater than in Northney, by comparison, where far fewer houses are involved. As work is completed and funds become available, lower priority areas will be dealt with. Money is granted for particular schemes and once they are agreed they will be funded. As Eastoke is the local priority, the works done here were used as examples of the general approach to be taken.

When work became necessary some 30 years ago a number of options for Eastoke were considered, ranging from a complete concrete sea wall to the scheme currently adopted. Once the current approach had been agreed, 400 000 cubic metres of shingle were placed along the beach and suitably distributed. As this material moves with time the programme demands material replenishing at intervals, as has taken place over the years. At first sight this might appear to be an expensive option but, if the through-life costs are discounted over the life of the scheme (many decades), the effective cost of the scheme adopted are just over half that of other, more ambitious, options. It is important to note that ,in these costings, only protection of building values is considered.

Lyall said that the scheme is designed to protect the property from destruction and that, in severe conditions, water may overtop the defences and enter the land on which properties are built. It is at this point that the householder is expected to make his own provision to prevent water ingress. In recent cases some householders did not take sufficient precautions to prevent this happening. To assist in helping here, posters are displayed in Eastoke offering advice and contact numbers to help in this matter.

Consultation is about to take place relating to improving the defences west of Chichester Harbour entrance and the decisions here may well involve more use of rock revetments and this approach may be used further in the future.

Lyall described considerable technical support activities that took place to monitor the wave conditions, beach profiles and water depth to ensure that the fullest possible understanding of the processes that affected the beach erosion were understood and used to minimise their effects. Hayling was lucky in that necessary dredgings to maintain water depth at Chichester Harbour entrance were locally available, minimising the cost of beach replenishment.

Lyall mentioned the many Groups with which he was involved looking at the whole issue of flood and erosion prevention along our coastal region. He also mentioned the effect that new planning laws had on limiting building in flood prone areas.

Ian Tripp then gave an overview of the more general case of flooding in the harbours largely due to tide level rather than wave action. The whole coastline is divided into sections and the flood risk assessed for each. Depending on that assessment of risk, priorities for action are agreed. Apart from some work still to be done in the north of Eastoke one of the next areas if priority is in the Saltmarsh Lane area and this involves the Billy Trail and its possible re-alignment.

The Selsmore plan is being held up by discussions on 'compensation flooding' in which any land taken from the Harbours needs to be replaced by allowing an equivalent area to flood elsewhere. It is expected to have this resolved this month so that this programme may be allowed to continue.

All approved schemes are designed to meet the 1:200 criterion. This means that any scheme implemented is not expected to fail more than once in 200 years. (Later in questioning it was stated that insurance companies accepted a 1:75 criterion in relation to flooding on the basis that other catastrophes (fire etc.) were more likely to occur. Thus any house in an area that has been protected should not suffer an increased premium.)

Generally all schemes were re-assessed every ten years or so to determine whether they were still appropriate. Individuals have a full right to maintain their own protection schemes but not improve them without permission. (This again is a very contentious area and has been the subject of considerable local argument.)

Sea level rise was discussed. Historic evidence in this are suggests that the sea level has been rising by between 1 and 3mm/annum over the last 100 years. However these figures are very uncertain due to the inaccuracy of measurement. Current figures on which assessments are to be made are 4mm/annum for the next 25 years and higher values after that. These figures are computer model predictions and are subject to continual re-assessment.

From the point of view of individual residents in flood risk areas the most important impact of the work of the EA is the Flood Warning Programme. In the event of an imminent threat all people registered in the scheme are given a warning by phone, fax or email that they are at risk so that they can take any appropriate precautions. (The Floodline number is 0845 988 1188 and this will tell you how to register for this service. ANYONE living in Eastoke should register.)

Paul closed the meeting by thanking the presenters and expressing the hope that the meeting had clarified issues and reduced people's fears for the future.

Rose in June.

A planning application has been put in for flats on this site. HIRA firmly believes this site is far to important to be used for this purpose as it is the only remaining space for any sort of community resources in the `Mengham area. If you feel strongly about this please object to HBC.

Local Development Framework.

Consultation will be closed on this by the publication of this issue unless the period is extended. HIRA hopes that interested Islanders will have made their comments as this will become the blueprint for Hayling's future.

Station Theatre.

I always try to attend shows at the Station Theatre. HIADS productions are always excellent and long may they continue. The recent Musical Society Gershwin production was outstanding and I know many people were unable to get tickets. HIADS were instrumental in permitting and performing the Hayling's BEST Grand Event prepared by Robin Walton at which the stocks concept was launched. The Theatre has also hosted numerous other events affecting the local community. We should all therefore be immensely grateful for the facility and the work all the Society members put in on behalf of themselves and many other elements of Island life. In view of all the various happenings that take place it is sometimes surprising that many peoples say that they have never been there. Perhaps they should try going and help make the events there even more successful than they are already.


Tony Higham


Chairman: Paul Fisher 92461412

Membership: Brenda Greenland 92466716

Notice Board: Lois Neale 92469339

Reporter: Tony Higham 92464723.

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