Compromise reached to relieve Pagham flooding fears

The agreement in principle has seen Natural England, Arun District Council, Pagham Parish Council and residents' groups end months of being at odds about how to end the prospect of winter storms forcing people out of their homes.

Under the solution, Arun will move a smaller amount of shingle '“ believed to be 10,000 cubic metres '“ than originally planned from the Church Norton spit.

It will be used to boost the low-lying and eroding shoreline around Pagham Yacht Club. Work should be carried out this autumn in time for the worst weather.

The deal was brokered by Arun's deputy leader Roger Elkins during a summit at the council's offices.

Cllr Elkins, who heads Arun's community safety work, said: "This may allay the fears of local residents by hopefully providing a better defence ahead of the winter storms and also to do so at a cost considerably less than the suggested alternative, which was to bring all the material in by barge."

The proposals are subject to a number of approvals before they can be put into action. These include planning permission and a grant approval from the Environment Agency on behalf of the government.

Arun originally proposed to start the 450,000 remedial works this September by using 30,000 cubic metres of shingle from the Church Norton spit in Pagham Harbour.

However, the national environmental conservation body Natural England opposed the plan. Its officials said it would harm the environment and wildlife of the heavily-protected area. This would have meant Arun having to ship in the shingle from offshore.

But last Friday's session saw Natural England's representatives agree a limited amount of shingle could be removed from the spit without having a significant impact.

It wants the shingle taken from the intertidal, front face, of the spit. It was also willing for a land bridge to be created to allow the shingle to be moved to the beach side.

But it insisted all work needed to be completed before next spring's nesting season. However, the meeting also discussed the need to look further ahead beyond what will only be a temporary solution to the loss of the beach.

Ray Radmall, Pagham Parish Council's chairman, said: "I am pleased the district council has brokered a reasonable short-term measure of protection.

"But we are very concerned we should all be working towards a sustainable, long-term solution."

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