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Sustainable environment policies and strategies

Explains what the biodiversity plan is, the environmental policy and statement, the shoreline management plan and integrated coastal zone management.

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What are the Environmental Policy and Statement?

The Environmental Policy includes our objectives for managing and improving our environmental performance. The Environmental Policy and associated Action Plan are below:

Where practicable, the Environmental Policy commits us to reduce the impacts of our operations and service delivery upon the natural environment.

By managing our own environmental impacts, and encouraging and supporting others to do the same, we aim to improve the environment for the benefit of our residents, employees, businesses, and visitors.

We report against the objectives within the Environmental Policy by publishing an annual Environmental Statement. Each Statement includes the key achievements made against objectives in the previous year:

What is the Shoreline Management Plan?

The Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) sets out the policy for managing the coastline and responding to coastal erosion and flood risks over the next 100 years. It assesses potential erosion and flood risks and identifies sustainable coastal defence and management options which take into account the influences and needs of the human, natural and historic environments, including existing defences and adjacent coastal areas.

Although they are not required by law, SMP documents are recommended for all sections of coastline in England and Wales by the Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The four SMP policies which can be considered for each section of coastline are:

  • Hold the existing defence line
  • Advance the existing defence line
  • Managed realignment
  • No active intervention.

As the lead authority in the development of the local SMP, we worked with North East Lincolnshire Council, East Lindsey District Council, Lincolnshire County Council, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the National Farmers’ Union and English Heritage. We reviewed the two separate SMPs dating from the 1990s in order to produce a single SMP for the coastline between Flamborough Head (East Riding of Yorkshire) and Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire):

Flamborough Head to Gibraltar Point Shoreline Management Plan (pdf 3mb)

The SMP was approved by all partners and the Government in 2011. It contains evidence of local circumstances and needs, helping us to develop strategies which explore options for coastal schemes. Once we have preferred options, we can draw up detailed design plans and bid for national funding towards the local schemes.

What is Integrated Coastal Zone Management?

Integrated Coastal Zone Management or ICZM is a process that brings together all those involved in the development, management and use of the coast. The aim is to establish sustainable levels of economic and social activity, resolve environmental, social and economic challenges and conflicts, and protect the coastal environment.

ICZM is based on the Government’s eight principles for coastal management in England:

  • Taking a broad, holistic approach
  • Adopting a long-term perspective
  • Pursuing adaptive management
  • Seeking specific solutions and flexible measures
  • Working with natural processes
  • Promoting participatory planning
  • Involving, and gaining support from, all relevant administrative bodies
  • Using a combination of instruments.

Developed in 18 months by over 80 organisations, the ICZM Plan was launched on 10 July 2002 and called Towards a Sustainable Coast: Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (pdf 1mb)

At the same time, a Coastal Forum was created to encourage engagement with coastal communities.

Although the Coastal Forum is no longer active, ICZM continues to inform our work; we used its principles to develop the Flamborough Head to Gibraltar Point Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) (2011) and deliver the East Riding Coastal Change Pathfinder (2010-12).

The SMP has replaced the ICZM Plan as the most relevant and current document for coastal management in the East Riding and is available at the top of this page.

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