Purpose

The report updates members on the outcomes of
the Fareham Coastal Defence study, delivered by Coastal Partners, Fareham
Borough Councils Coastal Team.

 

Coastal Partners undertake the ongoing monitoring,
maintenance and management of Fareham Borough Council’s sea defences.

 

Significant external funding was secured from
the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (SRFCC) Local Levy (£457.5k)
for Coastal Partners to undertake the Fareham Coastal Defence Study (the
Study). In addition, Fareham Borough Council (FBC) approved £30k to support the
work.  Through careful monitoring and
management of the project to its conclusion, the FBC contribution will not be
required to complete the Study and will therefore remain within the Coastal Protection
Reserve.

 

The Study has now concluded with the
identification of leading options to reduce flood and erosion risk at Alton
Grove to Cador Drive, and at Fareham Quay. This has achieved the primary objective to “identify a leading option that aligns with the
River Hamble to Portchester Strategy, addresses climate change, tidal flood
risk and coastal erosion risk to both property and legacy landfill whilst
delivering the maximum Standard of Protection possible​”.

 

At Alton Grove to Cador Drive, the (phased)
leading option involves new erosion protection to legacy landfill areas in
Phase 1, followed by new raised flood defences in around 20 years’ time in
Phase 2. £13 Million of funding is estimated as required to construct this
option.

 

At Fareham Quay, the (phased) leading option
provides new raised frontline erosion and flood protection to the recreation
ground in the north in Phase 1, followed by replacement of the frontline
erosion protection at the same height around the recreation ground in the south
in around 20 years’ time in Phase 2. Property Flood Resilience measures are
proposed to a small number of properties at risk on Fareham Quay itself during
Phase 1. £13.4 Million of funding is estimated as required to construct this option.

 

Although technically feasible leading options
have been recommended for each frontage, the economic appraisal has shown that
under current Government funding rules, none of the options considered would be
economically viable (i.e. benefit cost ratios are less than one). The economic
appraisal does also recognise ‘local benefits’ such as recreation, biodiversity
and ecology, water quality and protection/remediation of legacy coastal
landfill, however these do not form a strong enough business case for securing
national sources of funding without a benefit cost ratio above one.

 

To proceed to the next stage of a capital scheme (detailed design,
planning & consenting), it will be necessary to secure further funding
which under current national funding rules, is unlikely to come from Defra
Grant in Aid. However, having completed the study FBC are now well positioned
to take advantage of any future changes in the funding policy space and Coastal
Partners continue to lobby for national change in relation to coastal landfill
funding via the Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group
(LGA Coastal SIG).

 

Due to uncertainty regarding funding availability to implement all
options, a position statement and adaptive coastal management pathways have
been developed, to help decision makers plan for and prioritise future actions
and engagement.

 

Decision

RESOLVED that the Executive:

 

(a)  notes
the leading options developed by the Fareham Coastal Defence Study;

 

(b)  agrees
that the Position Statement which summarises the current roles and
responsibilities of key partners in relation to ongoing coastal management,
potential future scenarios for the management of each site, alongside the
residual risks and next steps, as set out at Appendix D to the report, be
published;

 

(c)   agrees
that authority be delegated to the Director of Planning and Regeneration,
following consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Development,
to update the Position Statement as appropriate;

 

(d)  supports
continued lobbying, via established Coastal Networks, on the challenge of
securing coastal landfill funding;

 

(e)  supports
the continuation of routine coastal defence inspections and patch and repair to
extend the life of coastal assets within available resources; and

 

(f)    requests
that Officers explore opportunities for Property Flood Resilience Measures
(PFR) at Fareham Quay (as outlined in the Executive Briefing Paper) when the
new Defra funding rules are introduced and seek to work with the Environment
Agency to determine if such an initiative is viable.