NORTH NORFOLK

NORTH NORFOLK

1. WHY DOES IT NEED PROTECTING?

   • There is continued eustatic sea level rise and isostatic sinking in East Anglia was Scotland rises.
   • cliffs are made from low resistant boulder clay and outwash sands so the area is susceptible to sub aerial processes and marine erosion e.g. 85 m of erosion in 3 years at Overstrand
   • global warming means North Sea storm surges more frequent which means they will have more erosive power
   • the majority of the coast is of major environmental importance with bird breeding sites and migratory birds coming to Blakeney Spit & Scolt Head Island
   • Bacton Gas Terminal is within the sediment cell and sizzle nuclear power station
   • challenge is that there is high levels of rural deprivation and unemployment so local tax is limited and can't finance the £100million needed for coastal defence in the next 10yrs

2. MULTI-USE RESOURCE

   • RESIDENTIAL - e.g. Overstrand there is in migration of retirees, flat land and 2nd homes
   • AGRICULTURAL - there are rich and fertile flat land due to high soft clay content
   • ENERGY - bacton gas terminal and wind turbines offshore at Hunstanton because there is strong winds with long fetch
   • RECREATION / TOURISM - 40% visitors in 2005 were for bird watching e.g. Holkam
   • CONSERVATION - e.g. Blakeney Spit bird site, HNR is also a SPA with high biodiversity and migratory birds

3. CONFLICT

   • ENERGY VS CONSERVATION- The wind farms have also caused conflict with conservationalists as they have reduced fish stocks and bird numbers due to rotating turbines. Project Docking Shoal, led by one of Britain's leading energy companies, planned to build 108, 85m high turbines that would supply 540MW of electricity to homes. But it faces a 3 and a half year legal battle, with which it lost as the costs outweighed the benefits e.g. the migratory sandwich turn [6,914 every year] would face 91 deaths / year
   • AGRICULTURE VS CONSERVATION- North Norfolk is a designated AONB, along with the North Norfolk Heritage Coasr which is home to mudflats and dunes etc. Conservationists are concerned about the agricultural impact on protected areas. As part of agriculture nitrates are spread through the slurry of animals, manure and artificial fertilisers --> many animals eat the nitrates and are poisoned by them. There is also the risk of water pollution and eutrophication as a result of algal blooms.
   • TOURISM VS ENERGY - off shore wind farms at Hunstanton spot the view and aesthetic value of the coast

4. MANAGEMENT

   • PEVENSEY BAY
     • BEACH RECYCLING - 2/ 3 x every year sediment is moved from the eastern end of the area to the western end in order to counteract LSD BEACH REPROFILING - material is moved back up the beach to reduce LSD & preserve the beach. MATERIALS - recycled old tires are buried under the sand in the upper beach in order to stabilise beach material & recycled plastic on some groins to reduce the use of tropical hardwood. SOFT ENGINEERING used to hold the line and create a wider beach as 20,000 m3 of sand is lost / year. Old groynes were also replaced
   • SEA PALLING
     • Sea palling is in need of protection because in 1953 storm surges broke through sand dunes and flooded parts of Ne Norlfolk, and inland areas of Norfolk broads, which need protecting There is a need for beach material to create a barrier against powerful waves. The land is also of high value and there are significant economic activities, and earlier defences failed. The areas also affected by rising sea level and has weak and incoherent rock type. There is a need to protect wildlife
     • DEFRA + SMP for sea palling is hold the line, this was decided in 2004 in order to protect the N. Broads from flooding & storm surges. At first a sea wall was built in front of the sand dunes, as well as groynes at Eccles to preserve local beaches & trap sediment transported by longshore drift, but this starved Sea Palling of sediment & by 1990s the beach was so reduced the sea reached the sea wall. So 100,000 tons of rip rap were put in front of the existing sea wall. Beach Replenishment also occurred with 1mm3 of sand covering the boulders & widening the beach. Offshore bars were also installed to absorb breaking wave energy and reduce erosive power. Gaps were made to allow for LSD to continue
   • HAPPISBURGH
     • Here the DEFRA / SMP policy is NO ACTIVE INTERVENTION because the area didn't qualify for the hold the line scheme under DEFRA criteria. Revetments were removed from the area for the safety of the village. The area will be allowed to flood and erode away, the plans show that by 2025 80-100m of coastline will be lost and +25 homes. There will be no lifeboat access to the beach and by 2010 Grade 1 and Grade 2 properties in the village will also be lost.
   • ABBOTTS HALL FARM
     • This is one of the largest retreat schemes in Europe covering 280 hectares of land on the North side of the blackwater estuary, the largest saltwater estuary in East Anglia and a site of SPA + SSSI
     • The area needs protecting because the WWF showed that loss of large areas of salt marsh to erosion had a devastating impact on flora & fauna, which would be exacerbated by use of hard engineering in the environmentally sensitive area. --> also economic damages.
     • The area was deemed suitable for managed realignment as there was a narrow strip of land between the 5 metre contour line and the 3km wall, which once flooded would become salt marsh and this would act as a coastal defence. So the sea wall was breached in 3 places allowing flooding , but earthbound were used to stop saltwater intrusion into freshwater areas. Managed retreat is only suitable in areas where vegetation can colonies.
   • HOLKHAM NATURE RESERVE
     • This is the largest nature reserve in England, 3900 hectares and is managed by the Holkham Estates and was recently voted Britain's no 1 beach.
     • The area is vulnerable because of visitor pressure which is 500,000 / year & this impacts flora & fauna. Additionaly it is at risk from sea level rise, flooding & erosion, The area is also affected by isostatic depressions because of snow accumulation in Scotland which rebounds and East Anglia sinks by several mm / year This creates pressure for housing as there are more 2nd homes e.g. Turnham Market 2013 = 65% sales = 2nd homes
     • The area is managed in three ways: ZONATION-areas that are v vulnerable = RED ZONES that aren't allowed development / improvements. FLOODING - area is specifically managed to keep water tables high so that meadows exist for rare migratory birds e.g. widgeon --> bird number increase 1000-1700 in winter/. So marsh area is flooded to create habitat. BOARDWALKS - channel visitors harmlessly
   • Socio / economic needs of the area -preserve the culture, protect the environment, job opportunities, coastal defence to reduce flooding and service provision
   • Environmental needs of NN- preserve nature reserves e.g. HNR and protect wildlife e.g. Scott Head Island & preserve geographically important sites e.g. Blakeney spit with its variety of scenery & biodiversity