Project Name: Beachy Head to Rye Harbour Coastal Processes and Resources Study
Subject: Cuckmere to Redoubt and Redoubt to Cooden Strategies

In 1999 the Environment Agency together with the Eastbourne, Hastings and Rother Local Authorities set up a project team to undertake a coastal processes and resources study of the 45 km of coastline between Beachy Head and Rye. Shingle beaches form the primary defence along most of this coastline. The four Authorities, with the recent addition of Sovereign Harbour Ltd., have historically managed the defences as nine separate frontages whose boundaries were set on historical criteria that took no account of coastal processes and the need to consider the wider effects of decisions taken on any individual frontage. The joint study was initiated in recognition of the need to follow a more strategic approach when determining future defence requirements.

Completion of the coastal processes and resources study allowed the coastline under consideration to be divided into three appropriate strategic lengths, one of which (The Cuckmere to Redoubt Coastal Defence Strategy) falls partly within the area of the South Downs Coastal Group, for further studies to develop a preferred option for the future management of each length. These studies were completed in 2002 with a comprehensive strategy document for each length as the output. Following completion of the Local Authorities and Agency approval processes the strategies were submitted to Defra for agreement and approval in 2003.

Whilst one of the strategies received Defra approval in March 2005, The Cuckmere to Redoubt and the Redoubt to Cooden strategies have now been withdrawn because they have not been revised to comply with the latest appraisal procedures. These two strategies are now more than four years old and significant time and expenditure will be necessary to ensure they comply fully with the latest economic appraisal requirements and the SEA process as well as reflecting changes on the ground. This work of reviewing and updating the Strategies has been programmed to start in 2008/2009.