Shoreline Management Plan – Poster and Advice

Many members will be aware just how vulnerable the section of coast south of the Martello Tower has become and how close the sea has been to breaching the shingle bank through to the river.

The SMP is the government policy guiding coastal defence around the entire English and Welsh coast. The section south of the Martello Tower down Orford Ness has been formally reviewed, following the completion of the Alde and Ore Estuary Plan to implement refurbishment of the river walls to be able to withstand overtopping in a 1:200 year surge.
The proposal is to change the SMP policy for this part of the coast, which is currently No Active Intervention from the year 2025 (i.e. spend no money, do nothing to counter erosion) to Managed Realignment. This recommendation from the Suffolk Coast Forum is designed to avoid a permanent breach from forming by providing resilience against erosion. A permanent breach would change the river very dramatically, increasing the vulnerability of the estuary area to flooding with consequences for houses, land, water aquifers, walking, the environmental habitats and sailing and other water activities: so it would transform the river as we know it. A policy of Managed Realignment would allow action to be taken to sustain the shingle shore bank.

Alde and Ore Association members are therefore encouraged to support the proposed amendment, in writing if looking in at the drop-in sessions is not possible, during the consultation period which ends on 30 November. It may also be helpful to add supportive comments giving one or two reasons for your support such as:

A revised policy is crucial to the life of the estuary
It is vital to support the Alde Ore Estuary Partnership plan
You value the safe sailing environment provided by the river
You love the tranquil estuary as it is now
Important to the economy of the area

If you cannot attend the drop- in consultation please visit https://www.coasteast.org.uk/our-work/current-consultations/ where you will find more information and a feedback form.
There is an information booklet at https://www.coasteast.org.uk/media/1422/slaughden-booklet-2019.pdf
Alternatively you can email coastalmanagement@eastsuffolk.gov.uk with your reply.

Alison Andrews, Chairman of the Alde and Ore Association

Slaughden - Shoreline Management Plan Review - Public Consultation