Criticism over lack of action to protect thousands of Hayling Island homes from flooding

The latest flood and coastal erosion risk management plans were presented to Havant borough councillors, but they raised concerns about the speed of action in building sea defences.

The strategy looks at what can be done for the whole of the island for the next 100 years, said the representatives of Coastal Partners who are looking to secure funding from the government for a short-term action plan over the next 10 years.

Increased tidal flooding and coastal erosion as a result of climate change is one of the largest challenges the Hayling Island community of 17,000 will face, a council report said. It added it threatens the island's economy, environment, health and way of life.

During a scrutiny meeting on December 4, councillors voiced their concerns that ambitious short-term plans estimated to need £119.8 million in funding will not be achieved quickly enough, if at all, and that the cost will fall in the end back to landowners.

Councillor Sharon Collings (Reform UK, Leigh Park Central and West Leigh) said it felt like there was a lot of talk, raising people’s expectations and in the end landowners will be left to pick up the bill if funding isn’t secured.

Cllr Collings said despite there being an “emergency” nothing had been done for two years.

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Coastal Partners representative Mark Stratton said: “I understand your frustration as the strategy has been adopted since 2010 but a process must be followed to apply and receive grant funding from the government. It is complex and will take time.”

Members were told that Coastal Partners is working with Natural England to resolve issues and enable landowners to secure permission to undertake work to maintain their land and at the same time protect habitats.

The report said there are over 3,000 homes at risk of flooding, along with the A3023, the only access road onto the island. There are also 1,518 homes at risk of erosion in an extreme event in 100 years if nothing is done.

If nothing is done, the estimated cost in damages from coastal flooding and erosion on the Island over the next century, is £1.33 billion said the report from Coastal Partners, a partnership of five councils to lead on coastal issues across the Hampshire and West Sussex coastline. Lyall Cairns, from Coastal Partners, said he wanted to remind scrutiny committee members that it has successfully reduced flood risk to homes in Eastoke since 1990 and a £5.5million grant in 2015 saw sea defences built around Sandy nature reserve which successfully stopped any seabreach.

Sam Box of Coastal Partners said £5.1 million to implement the South Hayling beach management plan, safeguarding 1,500 homes for the next five years, has been secured from the Environment Agency.

The short-term plans include two habitat restorations, South Hayling beach management, and other coastal defences over the next 10 years.

The management plans look at protecting intertidal and freshwater shoreline habitats.

Habitat loss can arise from construction works over protected habitat or ‘squeeze’ of habitats between sea defences and its impact of rising seas over the next 100 years - thought to be around one metre.

Plans for habitat restoration at Tournerbury and Northney will look to ensure and protect the loss of habitat from flood and coastal erosion risk in advance of it happening.

There are coastal defence and adaptation plans for Northney, Eastoke and now Selsmore and Mengham in response to the flooding at Marine Walk during Storm Pierrick.

Adaptation means focusing on adjusting to, and managing, the impacts of flooding and coastal erosion risk, as opposed to the other strategic options which aim to mitigate the impacts through physical flood protection measures.

Coastal Partners breaks adaptation up into three areas. These are avoid, effectively designating certain places as ‘no build areas’, accommodate, which covers changing land use and making homes and businesses resilient, and retreat, where places are moved or abandoned.

Other projects include fact-finding studies such as a flood risk study, and a marsh grazing study. For more information of plans and timelines click here.

The strategy lists the action taken by Coastal Partners in the past to reduce the risk of flooding on Hayling Island and how the strategy will help the council and the Environment Agency prioritise day-to-day activities and ensure the best use of public funds, the council documents said.

To read the full strategy document click here.