Medmerry Field Trip, June 2014

The 2014 SCOPAC field trip took members and officers to Medmerry, West Sussex.

Medmerry is the UK’s largest open coast managed realignment scheme, costing £28 million. The scheme has been in development for the past 15 years, with construction over a 2 year duration.

Prior to breaching of the beach at Medmerry in September 2013, the Environment Agency constructed 7km of new inland sea defences, providing flood protection to approximately 350 homes.

Predictions suggest up to 180 ha of new inter-tidal habitat will form as part of the scheme, providing compensatory habitat under European law.

Approximately 50 delegates attended the event which involved talks at Bunn Leisure and a visit to the breach and Ham. The focus of the presentations was on scheme design, site construction works, habitat creation and site monitoring – before, during and after the breach.

For more information on the site, please visit: www.gov.uk/government/publications/medmerry-coastal-flood-defence-scheme

Presentations:

SCOPAC would like to thank the speakers for their excellent talks.