Littlehampton flood defence plans raise interest

Environment Agency (EA) and Arun District Council officials who have been working on the proposals were delighted with the interest shown during the three-day display at the new Arun Ideas Shop in Beach Road. The consultation will help to shape the final version of the £10m scheme, providing greater protection from rising sea levels and river flooding along the east bank of the Arun from the harbour mouth to just north of the A259 road bridge. It will then go to the government for final scrutiny and to be balanced against the cost of other projects from across the UK, using a formula which weighs the cost of the work against the value of properties which would be protected. Littlehampton’s defences are considered to be a high priority by the EA, as more than 1,500 homes and many businesses in the town are at risk from a one-in-200-year flood – the worst potential flood expected in a 200-year period. Land protected by the flood defences along the east bank between the coast and the A259 is low lying and at risk of extensive tidal flooding if the defences are not improved. The EA and its engineering consultants Halcrow have decided against raising the river wall along the walkway from near the harbour office to where it joins River Road. More detailed work on the estimated flood levels along this stretch has revealed that the defences will not need to be improved for another 20-30 years. The revised estimates have also led to the height of the new raised embankment along Pier Road being lowered, by about half a metre. Along this section the EA and Arun are continuing to work with West Sussex County Council over the possibility of new traffic arrangements for Pier Road, which could include a one-way system or partial road closure at different times of the day. Moves to extend the walkway, completing a link as far as the river footbridge, have also been dropped following strong opposition from people living in waterfront properties about losing their privacy. In addition to the EA’s estimated £10m spending on the defences, Arun is under-writing a further £2m for landscaping and environmental enhancements, with the scheme seen as a key opportunity for further regeneration in the harbour area. Arun is appointing a consultant to explore ways of attracting outside funding for this “icing on the cake”.