20-Apr-2006 - The draft
report for the Cuckmere and Sussex Havens Catchment
Flood Management Plan is now available for public
consultation. The Environment Agency is inviting
people concerned about flooding in the catchment
to help identify how flood risk from certain rivers
in East Sussex can be managed.
Catchment Flood Management Plans,
required under the EU Water Framework Directive,
are large-scale plans that explore and identify
long-term policies to manage flood risk for an
entire river catchment. The Cuckmere and Sussex
Havens Catchment Flood Management Plan covers
five catchments from Hastings in the east to Seaford
Head in the west and from Eastbourne in the south
to Heathfield in the north*.
The draft plan is now open to
public consultation until 19 June 2006. Anyone
who has an interest in the area can now contribute
or comment on it.
Andrew Gilham, Environment Agency
Sussex Area Flood Risk Manager, said:
"This draft has been developed
in partnership with a number of organisations
and helps improve our understanding of how the
river catchments function. It is important that
local people are involved in the preparation of
these plans so we urge anyone who has an interest
in this area or concerns about flooding to take
the opportunity to tell us their views.
"This is an important stage
before we develop the final plan which will identify
the most appropriate way of managing flood risk
in this area of Sussex. After the consultation
period we will continue to work with our partners
to ensure that policies will manage flood risk
as well as achieving additional environmental
benefits."
Members of the public can inspect
copies of the document at Eastbourne Central Library,
Hailsham Library, Bexhill Library, Hasting Library,
Heathfield Library, Polegate Library, Pevensey
Bay Library and Seaford Library. It is also available
at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/regions/southern/.
Anyone wishing to consult on the Cuckmere and
Sussex Havens Catchment Flood Management Plan
should respond to: Regional Strategic and Development
Planning, Environment Agency, Guildbourne House,
Chatsworth Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 1LD
or email anne.tanner@environment-agency.gov.uk
by 19 June 2006.
* Catchments covered in the
plan are Cuckmere River, Pevensey Levels, Willingdon
Levels, Wallers Haven and Combe Haven.
