Proposals

Coast Defence Proposals

Following the public consultation in spring/summer 2008, the EA have produced a final Strategy setting out how to manage our coastline, which could have a devastating financial impact for all Selsey residents. Follow this link to the Environment Agency website for more information

1. What's happening?

With global warming, sea levels are rising & the sea is stormier.
Our coast defences need repair, but there’s no Government money for this except possibly for managed realignment at Medmerry
The District Council won’t continue to maintain the coast defences as it has done in the past, because of the rising costs.
The Authorities have proposed maintaining and sustaining Selsey’s urban sea defences if the money can be found.
The Authorities have asked who would pay for the works (£31-£41 million) – everyone in the District, or just the people in Selsey, or the Manhood Peninsula?

2. What would happen to Selsey if there are no repairs?

At Medmerry, within a year, 28 houses would be under water, and a huge area west & north of Selsey subject to regular flooding at high tides, including the B2145.We would be cut off from Chichester during flooding.
At East Beach, after 20 years the defences would start to fail, and nearly 1000 homes would be at risk from flooding and erosion.
At West Beach further failures are possible now and 75 homes could be lost to the sea over the next 50 years. (note: part of the sea wall has already collapsed since the publication of the proposals)

3. What do the Council/Environment Agency propose?

Subject to Bunn Leisure protecting the caravan parks with coast defences, build banks inland at Medmerry to protect Selsey’s road and Earnley at a cost of £12m, breaching the existing shingle defences and flooding a huge area of land. Otherwise flood half the caravan parks and the leisure complex as well.
From the East Beach to the West Beach, maintain and sustain the existing defences at a cost of £31-£41 million.
At Church Norton, maintain the shingle for 20yrs, at a cost of £5m and build new harbour defences at a cost of over £3.5m

4. Who will pay for the works?

The Council & Environment Agency have asked who should pay:

a) the people “directly affected” (which probably means everyone in Selsey, because we all need the B2145 connection to Chichester).

b) the people living on the Manhood Peninsula.

c) everyone in the Chichester Council District

This could mean that Selsey residents have to find roughly £31-£41million to protect their town (equivalent to £2,600 - £3,400 per resident!)