Future of North Devon shoreline under review

dave.tanner@archant.co.uk
18 December 2009

THE future of North Devon's shoreline has come under the spotlight at a special meeting this week.

Devon County Council has welcomed a consultation draft review detailing how the coastline and coastal risks should be managed from Hartland Point to Anchor Head, near Weston-super-Mare, during the next 20, 50 and 100 years.

Cabinet members agreed with the North Devon and Somerset Shoreline Management Plan's proposals to "hold the line" on developed sections of the coast to prevent flooding and erosion of the coastline at Devon's coastal towns and resorts. They also supported a policy of "no active intervention" to the majority of the North Devon coast.

But the council objected to proposals for the "managed realignment" of sections from Instow and Yelland to Crow Point and Crow Neck. Councillors also asked for reassurance that investment in the Tarka Trail, National Cycle Network and the South West Coast Path will be taken into consideration and protected in the short to medium term.

They also voiced concern in relation to the long-term management of the former landfill site at Northam Burrows.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Member for Highways and Transportation, said the Burrows site was "key area of concern" on the North coast.

"Our main concern is that it may be technically impossible to defend the site in 100 years or the legislation may have significantly changed, so we need to see more options built into the wording of this plan," he said.

The council is now seeking a meeting with the Environment Agency to resolve its objections and concerns and to discuss the possibility of extending the Taw Torridge Strategy work to include considerations of erosion.

The North Devon and Somerset Shoreline Management Plan will revise an original document first published in 1998.

The draft has been put out for consultation until January 8, 2010 and is scheduled to be adopted by March. It can be viewed at www.ndascag.org