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Medmerry Managed Retreat Scheme - Coggle Diagram
Medmerry Managed Retreat Scheme
Issues and Conflicts
Social Issues
Some residents feel that the Environmental Agency should have explored other options, such as an offshore reef or continued beach realignment, and not have given up on the land so easily.
Some opponents from outside the area resented a significant sum of money being spent on a scheme in such a sparsely populated area.
Economic Issues
The project was expensive at £28 million compared to £0.2 million a year to maintain the shingle wall. Though with rising sea levels, this can be challenged quite easily.
Good agricultural land was abandoned, leading to the loss of three farms growing winter wheat and oilseed rape.
Environmental issues
despite extensive planning the project destroyed several key nature points
Management Strategy
work began in 2011 and finished 2014
they constructed a new 7km clay embankment around the intertidal zone
A channel was built behind the embankment to collect draining water. This water is taken back into the intertidal zone via four outfall structures.
Sixty thousand tonnes of rock from Norway was used to build up rock armour on the seaward edges of the embankment, linking to the remaining ridge
Once the rock amour and embankment were complete, a 110-metre breach was made in the shingle bank on the beach, allowing the sea to flood the land and creating the new intertidal zone.
Resulting Effects
Social Positives
Selsey now has the best protection from coastal flooding, with only a 1 in 1000 chance of coastal flooding.
348 properties and sewage works are now protected to a standard of 1 in 100 years (previously just 1 in 1 year).
The scheme avoided a possible breach during severe winter storms in 2013.
The area now has ten kilometres of footpaths, seven kilometres of bike paths, and five kilometres of bridleways compared to the previous two small footpaths before the scheme was developed.
Economic Positives
This was a lot cheaper than rebuilding the beach after every storm.
Caravan parks and main roads are now protected year round
Vegetation on the salt marsh supports extensive cattle farming, producing expensive salt-marsh beef.
local economy has received a boost in green tourism
Environmental Positives
The area is now a huge nature reserve managed by the RSPB
https://www.internetgeography.net/topics/medmerry-case-study-coastal-realignment/
reasons why it happened
it was incredibly expensive to rebuild the beach after every storm