Dear Mr Bruce
Thank you
for your email of 18 September to the Secretary of State about Eastchurch Gap
Cliffs. I have been asked to reply.
Erosion of the Isle of Sheppey cliffs
has accelerated over recent years and the Sheppey Coastal Protection Group has
suggested using geotextile matting to help stabilise the cliff. Under the
Coastal Protection Act 1949, Swale Borough Council (SBC) is responsible for
managing coastal erosion and is providing £30,000 to fund this work. The
Environment Agency has not been involved in this proposal as no central
government funding has been sought.
In December 2014, the Environment
Agency attended a meeting with the residents, Gordon Henderson MP and SBC to
discuss the current situation. Since then, the Sheppey Coastal Protection Group
has put forward proposals to install geotextile matting along the cliff. The
proposal is that new trees and vegetation will help to stabilise the soil. SBC
has put forward £30,000 for this local pilot scheme. As these measures will not
remove the excess water, these works may not provide significant long-term
benefits for the residents at Surf Crescent.
The clay cliffs in
Fairlight, East Sussex have the same problem with saturation causing them to
slump. The only technically viable solution to stabilise these cliffs has
involved:
installing pumping stations to help de-water the cliffs and
reduce slumping
removing all surface water and sewerage pipes discharging
onto the cliff, and installing a significant sea defence (rock armour) at the
toe of the cliff.
These works will cost around £4million and protect 140
properties. The scheme has received significant local contributions from
partners and the community.
The Environment Agency administers funding
bids and reviews the technical feasibility of any proposals. To gain government
funding for flood and coastal risk management, a scheme must demonstrate that
the benefits of any action outweigh the costs. The coastline on the north of the
Isle of Sheppey is mainly rural and with only a small number of houses and
caravan parks at risk. Unfortunately, the financial value of the area at risk
does not outweigh the costs to build and maintain the measures required.
The Environment Agency will continue to support SBC in its
investigations to manage coastal erosion in the future.
Yours
sincerely
Karen Nicolaysen
Customer Contact Unit Defra
