Increasing pressures on our coastlines mean that an
integrated approach to coastal management is vital. We need to respond
to the demands of a changing climate and growing population by recognising
the natural, biological, social and built environment. And we need to
respond to changes in legislation such as the European Union's Water
Framework, Habitats and Birds Directives which call for greater levels
of consultation and stakeholder cooperation, as well as new approaches
to the planning of flood defence, resources and environmental protection
schemes.
Before the new defences can be built, there is an exhaustive approvals
and funding process to be followed. The first step in this is the preparation
of a Project Appraisal.
About the Project Appraisal Report
Suffolk Coastal District Council is undertaking a Project Appraisal
Report (PAR) for the management of the coastline of Central Felixstowe
from Jacob's Ladder in the north to the War Memorial in the south. The
PAR will then be used by the Council for an application to the Environment
Agency for consent and consideration of a grant for subsequent schemes
of work to the frontage at Central Felixstowe.
Public Meeting on 2nd March 2009
Improving Felixstowe’s
defences
Monday 2nd March 2009, 1pm to 7pm
Felixstowe Town Hall
You can download the publicity materials used at this
meeting to show the outline options for the scheme on the Consultation
page.
Public Meeting on 30th March 2009
Public Consultation
Monday 30th March 2009, 1pm to 7pm
Felixstowe Town Hall
You can download the publicity materials used at this meeting to show
the preferred option for the scheme on the Consultation
page.
Public Consultation on 18th July 2009
Public Consultation
Saturday 18th July 2009, 10 am to 2pm
Felixstowe Town Hall
Following the completion of computer modelling, the final scheme proposal
which had been presented to the Felixstowe Liaison Group was presented
to the Stakeholders through a final Public Exhibition at Felixstowe
Town Hall between 10 am and 2 pm. You can download the publicity materials
used at this meeting on the Consultation
page. The Consultation Period (18th July until 14th August) has now
closed.
For more information, contact Victoria Tonks on 020 8774 3902.
Current Progress (May 2010)
In the past few months, the project team have been involved in the
final reporting stage, preparing a submission to the Environment Agency
for the funding, obtaining planning permission (which Suffolk Coastal
District Council granted on December 10th) and advertising the scheme
in local newspapers and the London Gazette in accordance with the Coastal
Protection Act 1949.
The submission was reviewed by the EA QA team in the National Capital
Programme Management Service throughout December, and alterations were
made to the submission based on their comments and recommendations.
(The proposed scheme has not altered - the changes were predominantly
related to changes in to the application process.) The Council has approved
the submission which has now been considered by the National Review
Group (NRG).
NRG met in mid-February to discuss the application with the aim
of recommending funding for detailed designs to be prepared throughout
summer 2010 and a Contractor chosen for a Spring 2011 start for construction.
This, of course, is only an outline of the program but, subject to the
availability of funding, it is the schedule that the project team is
working towards.
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