Save our Selsey

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The Dutch are coming, run for the hills (or any high ground!)

As you read this, the long awaited consultation document regarding Selsey’s sea defences (the “Draft Coast Defence Strategy” or CDS) should be on general release (29th May). The CDS will ultimately decide the future of our coast line and how Selsey will be protected in years to come.

Despite our commitment to keep you informed, the Environment Agency (EA) and Chichester District Council (CDC) have chosen not to share the contents with SOS in advance of the publication and so we cannot explain exactly what is in it (we will in July’s edition). What we can do is explain what we expect to see in it and what that really means.

“Hold the Line” on Selsey’s urban frontages - East Beach, West Beach and the Bill.

Hold the line sounds promising but don’t be sold on name alone. What is missing is any form of funding to provide that level of protection. The residents of West Beach are already all too aware of this as they await further news on who will repair the sea wall that collapsed in March 07. Whilst temporary defences were put in place, there is no funding for permanent repair despite the current policy of “hold the line”. Therefore whilst we welcome the concept of hold the line on all our urban frontages, we are also very sceptical of its practical effect: these frontages could actually be left to collapse with only some intermediate repairs ever being carried out.

SOS’ Response – Not good enough guys, give us the money to support the policy.

Managed Realignment at Medmerry

To the best of our knowledge, managed realignment (a retreat of the sea defences inland) will go ahead at Medmerry. Quite how far back and who suffers the losses are yet to be made clear and for this reason we are still extremely concerned about what this means for the town. The EA seem to believe it will be like Pagham Harbour, only filling up at high tide. We say that with the prevailing south westerly wind, and tidal forces, erosion means this will quickly become an open harbour, exposing the land and homes behind to major flooding. The EA are yet to disprove our theory with any hard facts.

SOS’ Response – Is the potential loss of land, homes and livelihoods morally justifiable and really the best option here? We think not.

What does this have to do with the Dutch?

A very good question…. As if the draft strategy is not enough to contend with, the Manhood Peninsula Partnership (MPP) has reconvened a meeting of selected Dutch town planners and ecologists for June 2008 to respond to the Draft CDS. Last time they were here (in 2001) they decided that realignment of the coast to provide habitat for birds was the best option. They spoke of seaside walks in Sidlesham, local farmers growing crops that could cope with saltwater, and of abandoning all areas below 4m high. If this approach were adopted in the Netherlands, most of the country would disappear!

We question why the MPP have chosen to invite this same Dutch organisation to decide the future of our sea defences. We are also concerned that the EA itself is funding this to the tune of £10,000 and yet has made no money available for an all-English exercise, or one in which engineers and economists (whatever their nationality) take the leading role. That £10,000 is your and my taxes by the way!

Is it proper for the outcome of the meeting (which we assume will be to support managed realignment) to be fed into the CDS consultation, as an “independent” response? The MPPs most powerful members includes the EA itself. They also include strong advocates of managed realignment (Natural England, RSPB, National Trust & the EA) which will write their own consultation responses. We feel this gives these highly influential bodies a second “bite at the cherry”.

The EA already gave these groups top “engagement” status during the CDS process. To put this into perspective, Selsey Town Council (which has just one seat on the MPP) only got the minimum engagement status - the same as was given to ”Selsey dog park” (whatever that is), and to SOS!

Do you think this is a fair way to decide the future of your town? No, neither do we which is why we will not be supporting the Going Dutch event but will be there as observers, in the faint hope that we can make it moderately impartial.

The Consultation period is now open, speak up or get wet

What everyone must do now is make their opinions heard. We have just 12 weeks to comment on these plans and stand any chance of changing the CDS before it becomes policy and the bulldozers arrive in Medmerry. See www.saveourselsey.org for more details on how to make your views known or sign a petition that will be circulating around the village over the next 12 weeks. A public meeting organised by SOS will be announced soon.