Over the next century, climate change and rising sea levels will have a major impact on our coastline – from its appearance to the ways we use it.
Shoreline management plans (SMPs) provide an overarching assessment of the risks associated with coastal processes, resulting in a 100-year policy framework for sustainable flood and erosion management. At its heart, this approach aims to improve protection for people and property while maintaining natural environmental features.
Halcrow provides the broad range of skills required to successfully deliver these long-term plans, from engineering design and geomorphological assessment to environmental, planning and stakeholder engagement services.
Halcrow has been heavily involved in the evolution of this approach in the UK from the outset – the company was instrumental in its development and played a prominent role in the first SMPs, launched between 1994 and 1999.
Halcrow also steered a major national study, Futurecoast, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to support the future development of SMPs. Published in 2002, the study reviewed coastal process understanding and future evolution predictions throughout England and Wales.
Halcrow subsequently led the development of SMP procedural guidance on behalf of Defra. This includes guidance on all aspects of SMP preparation and involves a far greater emphasis on the involvement of stakeholders. As part of this project, Halcrow undertook three pilot SMPs covering Beachy Head to Selsey Bill, South Foreland to Beachy Head, and Kelling to Lowestoft Ness. These pilots informed and shaped the final guidance, published in 2006.
Halcrow has since applied this guidance on six further second generation SMPs around the coast of England and Wales:
- Medway and Swale Estuary
- North Kent (Isle of Grain to South Foreland)
- South Devon and Dorset (Durlston Head to Rame Head)
- North Devon and Somerset (Hartland Point to Anchor Head)
- South Wales (Lavernock Point to St Ann’s Head)
- North West and North Wales (Great Orme’s Head to the Scottish Border)