FAQs
During Stage 1, engagement events will be held to raise awareness and seek data to inform the project.
During Stage 3, engagement events will be held to present the baseline findings and seek any additional information that may influence these.
At the start of Stage 4, option identification workshops with invited representatives will be held to discuss all the possible long list options and appraisal criteria to be used to assess them.
During Stage 5, engagement events will be held to present the long-list option appraisal and draft short list.
During Stage 7, engagement events will be held to present the draft findings of the detailed short list option appraisal and draft leading options. This will be a 3-month Statutory Consultation.
During Stage 8, engagement events will be held to raise awareness of the final approved Strategy and explain what happens next.
What is coastal erosion?
Coastal erosion is a natural process where material (sediment, rocks and manmade features) is taken away from shorelines by the action of waves, tides and currents (often to be deposited along other parts of the coast or moved to offshore areas). This is not replaced by new material, resulting in the coastline being ‘eroded’. Waves, currents, tides, and wind can all contribute to coastal erosion.
Coastal properties and infrastructure can be at risk from coastal erosion, i.e. potentially being lost to the sea through shoreline retreat. Shoreline retreat is where the coastline position changes because of coastal erosion processes.
What are the different types of coastal erosion?
Coastal erosion is caused by tides, currents, wave action which wear down or carry material, such as rocks, shingle, soil or sand along the coast. This can result in movement of material over time and changes to the shoreline position.
Hard, rocky shorelines erode relatively slowly, as waves continually strike the cliff face and cause the material to crack and splinter. Loose fragments of rock and other beach materials are moved around by ongoing wave forces. This causes further erosion of the cliff.
Beaches can rapidly erode following high tide events which coincide with stormy seas and strong waves. The energy from breaking waves causes beach sediment to move, and it is transported offshore as the water recedes. In future, predicted increases in storm frequency and intensity will cause increased coastal erosion.
Sea level rise can cause an increase in coastal erosion. Hard structures, such as seawalls, aim to keep the shoreline in the same position. However, as water levels increase, erosion can also increase where the manmade defence meets the natural beach level, resulting in a loss of beach area.
In the FCRM Strategy area, the action of storms and sea level rise also poses the risk of pushing Chesil Beach closer towards Portland Harbour through a process called “rollback”. At its most extreme, this could result in a breach through Chesil Beach with as yet unassessed consequences. This is a form of shoreline retreat that could pose a risk to infrastructure in the future.
What are the impacts of climate change on flood risk in the FCRM Strategy area?
Coastal properties, infrastructure and assets can be at risk from flooding, i.e. during periods of high tides combined with storm surges and wave overtopping. Due to climate change, sea level is predicted to rise by over 1m over the next 100 years. This will increase the risk of coastal flooding by making extreme coastal water levels higher and more frequent. Flooding caused by storm events is expressed in terms of an Average Return Period in years, calculating the frequency and intensity of past events. It describes the severity of a storm event and these can sometimes occur more than once in the same year. A large storm event that occurs on average once every century is referred to as a 1 in 100 year event.
What are the main aims of the FCRM Strategy?
The aim of the FCRM Strategy is to define the long-term (100 year) sustainable, adaptable and integrated approach to implement the adopted shoreline management plan policies for managing the present and future risk of coastal flooding and erosion as the climate changes, taking into account the latest data and evidence.
Once completed, the FCRM Strategy will identify where, when and broadly what type of works are needed to manage the risks of coastal flooding and erosion over the next century and roughly what they may cost. It will also consider the effects of predicted climate change on coastal communities, including sea level rise and the increased frequency of storms.
The final adopted Strategy will then enable us to bid for government funding to help deliver viable and realistic coast protection schemes to implement SMP policy. Although there is no guarantee we would receive 100% funding for schemes, it will help us to understand the level of central government funding that may be available and the amount of partnership funding required to deliver a scheme.
As a Coast Protection Authority, Dorset Council does not have a statutory duty to undertake coast protection work, but can use permissive powers to protect the coastline and work with communities to help them adapt to future coastal change. In addition, along with the Environment Agency, Dorset Council (as Lead Local Flood Authority – LLFA) has statutory responsibilities for managing flood risk.
What areas are being considered by the scheme?
The main focus of the FCRM Strategy is the area shown in Figure 1. However, key linkages with areas outside the Strategy area will also be an important consideration; for example, the sediment transport links along Chesil Beach northwards to West Bay.
Figure 1: Portland Underhill to Wyke Regis FCRM Strategy project extent and key locations.
How long will it take to complete the FCRM Strategy?
Based on experience of delivering similar projects for other parts of the country in recent years, it is anticipated that this project to develop the new Portland Underhill to Wyke Regis FCRM Strategy will take about 2.5 to 3 years to complete. It will be undertaken in eight stages summarised as follows:
What has been done in the past to protect the area from flooding and coastal erosion?
Along the Lyme Bay side of the Strategy area, the natural Chesil Beach gradually merges into manmade flood defences and coast protection seawalls at Chiswell, Portland, and has seen regular episodes of wave overtopping in the past, causing flooding to the low-lying areas behind. These flood and coastal protection defences at the south-eastern end of Chesil Beach are owned and managed by a mixture of the Environment Agency and Dorset Council, guided by the Chesil (Portland to Small Mouth) Beach Management Plan (BMP) (Environment Agency, 2022).
Flood and coastal erosion defences are also located along much of the shoreline of Portland Harbour and the Fleet lagoon; where present, these defences are owned and managed by a variety of organisations including Dorset Council, Wessex Water and a number of other landowners.
The purpose of these various defences is to reduce the risk to people, property and infrastructure from coastal flooding, erosion and land-sliding.
How is the FCRM Strategy being funded and how much will it cost?
The FCRM Strategy is fully funded by central Government, with the project team having secured £500,000 of Grant in Aid for this purpose via the Environment Agency.
How can I share my views about the proposals?
During the project, we will be undertaking six rounds of engagement as follows:
The first engagement round will take place in Autumn 2023.
During each engagement round, we will be holding in-person events, online webinars and running surveys to seek views and information to help shape the development of the FCRM Strategy over the next 2.5-3 years.
How can I stay informed about the project? / How do I find out more information about the project?
To find out more information about the project and have your say in our consultations please visit the engagement platform for this project: Portland Underhill to Wyke Regis Flood and Coastal Risk Management (FCRM) Project | Dorset Coast Have Your Say
Will I be consulted before any physical works take place?
Yes. Assuming the FCRM Strategy is approved by Dorset Council and the Environment Agency in due course, then there will be further work to develop schemes following this to implement the Strategic options that have been recommended. That will include further engagement and consultation, as well as more detailed technical, economic and environmental assessment to confirm details of final scheme designs.
The FCRM Strategy will set out what, where and when future defences are needed to guide the prioritisation of future scheme development in the area.
Is my property at risk of flooding?
We recommend you visit the Environment Agency web pages to help you answer this question.
Who is carrying out the work to develop the FCRM Strategy?
The development of the new FCRM Strategy is a collaborative project between Dorset Council and the Environment Agency, being supported by experts from BCP Council who are providing project management on behalf of Dorset Council and the Environment Agency; Dorset Coast Forum who are leading on stakeholder engagement; and technical consultants AECOM, who will be delivering the technical studies required to produce an FCRM Strategy that can be approved by both Dorset Council and the Environment Agency’s Large Project Review Group (LPRG).