The Environment Agency, in partnership with Suffolk Coastal,
commissioned Black & Veatch Ltd to review the Southern
Felixstowe Coastal Strategy previously issued in June 2003.
This review updated the coastal
defence strategy for Southern Felixstowe in light of revised
guidance for sea level rise and economic appraisal. The
coastal defence strategy is designed to enhance the frontage
and provide protection from flooding for the next 150 years.
The strategy also includes an allowance of 1.1m for sea level
rise over this time frame.
In the short term, the updated strategy supported the case for
funding of urgent coastal defence works (including the construction
of 21 replacement groynes and adding extra shingle to the beach to
raise the level) to the Felixstowe frontage between the War
Memorial and Landguard Common
(completed in October 2008).
The strategy study area
The study area for the strategy covered the flood risk area from
the War Memorial, just north of the pier, to the Trimley Marshes in
the Stour and Orwell Estuary. The following assets are located
within the study area:
- 960 residential properties;
- 468 other local businesses and commercial properties;
- the Port of Felixstowe;
- the amenity beach;
- the leisure and amenity facilities adjacent to the main amenity
beach;
- the War Memorial;
- Landguard Fort and its associated fieldworks;
- the Landguard Common Site of Special Scientific Interest and
Local Nature Reserve;
- Trimley Marshes, an important wetland reserve and Special
Protection Area.
Southern Felixstowe coastal strategy review
In developing a coastal flood risk management strategy for
Southern Felixstowe, the following strategic options were
considered:
- No active intervention (do nothing) – walking
away from the existing defences.
- Do minimum – maintaining the existing coastal
defences until structural failure.
- Improve – improve the coastal defences to
provide a uniform standard of protection against coastal
flooding.
The following sub-options were also considered. These
are standards of protection, which represent the probability of a
flood event exceeding the coastal defences:
- 1 in 50 years;
- 1 in 100 years;
- 1 in 200 years.
The preferred option
The strategic options for Southern Felixstowe were assessed
based on the latest technical, environmental and economic factors
and take into account consultation to date. The assessment process
identified that ‘Improve to 1 in 100 years standard of protection’
is the preferred option for Southern Felixstowe. (The proposed
standard of protection was subsequently reviewed and considered too
low for Felixstowe. The appraisal was re-run and the standard
subsequently increased to 1 in 150 years).
The implementation of the preferred option will involve the
following:
- Routine maintenance of the existing (plus any new) coastal
defences.
- As soon as funding is available and approval gained,
construction of 21 rock fishtail groynes and beach 'recharge'
(addition of extra shingle to the existing beach to raise the
level) between the War Memorial and Landguard Common
(work commenced in March 2008 and was completed in
October 2008). The raised beach will serve to protect the
existing sea wall from further damage.
- Throughout the strategy period raising of existing defences
where required and feasible, followed by any necessary replacement
over the next 150 years.
More information about the strategy is available in the July
2007
Southern Felixstowe coastal defences newsletter
(new window PDF 193KB).
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