Environment
Agency is to delay progress with its £8.5
million tidal defence proposal - Following
advice from the South West Regional Flood
Defence Committee today the Environment
Agency is to delay progress with its £8.5
million tidal defence proposals for Shaldon
and Ringmore on the Teign Estuary in Devon
by withdrawing its current planning application.
The Environment Agency
asked the Committee for additional time
to evaluate information emerging from improved
data and modelling of extreme tide levels.
The Agency’s South West
regional staff are continuing to analyse
the most up-to-date data on tide levels.
The new data indicates a significant change
from previous studies.
Clive Gronow, who chaired
the meeting in Bodmin, said: ‘As we become
more aware of the implications of the revised
information on tide levels that suggest
they could be lower than previously thought
at these specific locations, the committee
agreed that the Agency needed time to fully
evaluate the impact on tidal defences at
Shaldon and Ringmore, and across the river
at Teignmouth Back Beach.
‘Although the new information is not yet
fully validated, the implications may be
too significant just to carry on at this
critical time in the development of these
schemes. The Environment Agency has been
working hard in partnership with the community
and has made a commitment to share all information
on this project. We owe it to the community
to make sure the decision is based on the
right information.’
‘We have asked the project
team to look closely at this data to understand
how it may impact on the proposed works
on the Teign Estuary. We feel it is better
to do that now and make any revisions that
may be necessary at this stage.’
The Agency anticipates
a delay of six to 12 months while the new
information is evaluated. This means that
construction of the scheme will not start
this autumn.
The extreme tide level
data for England and Wales is due to be
released for consultation later this year.
The extreme tide level information does
not include allowances for climate change.
The United Kingdom Climate Impact Programme
is also due to publish its future climate
change predictions later in the year including
implications for sea levels and increased
wave heights.. It is clearly important that
all this information is considered together.
‘We will continue to
keep local residents on both sides of the
Teign up to date with progress as this delay
is bound to cause residents some concern
and uncertainty,’ added Mr Gronow.
+ More
Salmon Home Coming Project
receives fantastic national award
Environment Agency Wales’
Salmon Homecoming project finished a fantastic
second place in the Education category at
the prestigious Waterways Renaissance Awards
in Liverpool.
The project has worked
with more than 1,300 primary school children
in the South Wales valleys teaching them
about the life cycle of the Atlantic salmon.
For the past six years,
small-scale salmon hatcheries have been
set up in classrooms where pupils care for
salmon eggs until they hatch. These are
then moved to the Cynrig hatchery to grow
until ready for release. The children visit
the hatchery for a tour and to see salmon
in different life stages, along with many
of the salmon’s natural predators. They
then collect the fish that were hatched
in their school and take them back to their
local river for release.
Environment Agency Wales
has been working in partnership with local
angling groups and schools to introduce
the children to fishing.
Chris Rees, Fisheries
Team Leader, Environment Agency Wales said:
“I am absolutely thrilled
that this important project has been recognised
by the Waterways Renaissance Awards.
“Our staff are dedicated
to this project and take real pride in their
work with the children. The team fully deserve
this award and I’m proud of them for doing
so well.
“All of the schools
we have worked with so far have found the
Salmon Homecoming project an important part
of their pupils’ education. The project
grows year on year and getting this award
is acknowledgement for the hard work of
my team.”
Roger Hanbury, Chief
Executive of The Waterways Trust, praised
the Salmon Homecoming Project and the hard
work of the officers involved. He said:
“The Salmon Homecoming
project is an excellent example of what
can be achieved with vision, commitment
and partnership working. The modern renaissance
of our waterways continues to transform
our natural environment, creating education
and learning opportunities, injecting new
life into formerly neglected areas and bringing
communities together.”
