BOROUGH OF POOLE
ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW GROUP
28 JULY 2005
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF LEISURE SERVICES
BEACH REPLENISHMENT
1 / Purpose and Policy Context1.1 / To inform Members of the proposed first phase of the coastal protection project consisting of beach renourishment. The Policy context is the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) and Poole Bay Strategy
2 / Decision Required
2.1 / Members are recommended to consider the information and risk assessment and to seek Cabinet or Portfolio Holder approval for beach replenishment by depositing sand on the beach from Poole Harbour dredging and approval for a tender invitation to suitable Contractors to undertake the works.
3 / Information
3.1 / The adopted SMP recommends that coastal protection works are undertaken to maintain the integrity of protection along the Poole sea frontage. The approved methodology is for beach control structures in conjunction with beach renourishment. The type of beach control structure is yet not determined and is the subject of a separate study.
3.2 / The Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) are currently seeking approval to dredge the harbour channels and approaches deeper. This project will give rise to approximately 2M cubic meters of material of which 1.2M cubic meters is suitable for beach replenishment.
3.3 / The suitable material is available to Bournemouth Council (650,000m3) Purbeck District Council ( 90,000m3) and Poole Council (450,000m3)
3.4 / A full site investigation has been undertaken consisting of 256 boreholes from which material will be selected to be similar to that naturally occurring on the beaches.
3.5 / A detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been undertaken which includes assessment of the material for beach renourishment
3.6 / Planning permission has already been granted for the project and we are awaiting a Food and Environment Protection Application (FEPA) licence.
3.7 / It is currently planned that work will commence in October of this year and be complete for Easter 2006
4 / Financial Information
4.1 / By working in partnership with PHC there are considerable savings when compared to buying the sand from a commercial dredging company.
4.2 / The project will only be undertaken if it attracts Defra grant aid and credit approval.
4.3 / The estimated cost of the scheme is £3,300,000 which is identified in the Councils current capital programme. The estimated value of this contract is £2,000,000.
5 / Risk Management
5.1 / There are different levels of risk to manage with this project. In terms of strategic risk, the objective here is to protect the shoreline and nearby residential properties from coastal erosion. So the overall risk of not achieving the objective is through failing to replenish the sand. If the Council does not take this opportunity (i.e. the sand dredged from the Harbour) the alternative sources of sand would incur considerably more cost, and bring time delay. In summary there are three options for the Council:
· A – do nothing – increases risk of beach erosion and is against Council policy (SMP).
· B – use another source of sand – much higher cost is very likely and would carry the same operational risks as in 5.2
· C – replenish the beach from the sand dredged from the harbour as recommended in this report.
5.2 / In terms of operational risks, i.e. risks of problems with the project implementation, a detailed Risk Assessment has been carried out across a wide range of possibilities using the Council’s Risk Assessment Tool and in line with the Risk Management Strategy. Due to extensive mitigation work the risks are all acceptably low although in some cases further action has been identified to reduce these risks even further.
CLIVE SMITH
HEAD OF LEISURE SERVICES
Contact Officers:
Name Stuart Terry (01202) 261354
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