Residents given more time to have their say about Bognor Regis sea defences

The Environment Agency has extended its deadline for comments about the proposals to protect the area between Pagham and the River Arun from flooding in the next century.

It has put back the date for comments to September 30 from August 28 because of the high level of interest in the important issue.

Environment Agency area manager James Humphrys said the extra time was to make sure everyone was given an ample opportunity to find out more about the consultation and submit their views.

"It's their opportunity to share with us their comments on the recommended options and any concerns they may have regarding strategy funding and implementation," he stated.

Flood and erosion are real risks facing people and their properties between Pagham and the River Arun stretch of coastline.

Flood defences are under increasing threat from the elements as the climate changes, sea levels rise and more frequent and intense storms occur,

The draft strategy recognises securing local funding for building and maintaining defences is a pressing issue for the area.

Failure to maintain the existing defences will see more than 530 properties in low-lying areas in the draft strategy area flood or be lost to erosion from a one-in-200 chance event.

This number could increase to 3,024 in the next 100 years with rising sea levels. The strategy recommends the majority of properties should be protected to their current standard.

But at Climping the agency says it is unable to justify spending 40,000 a year maintaining the defences and this will result in a small number of properties seeing an increase in flood risk. The prospect has angered villagers.

Flooding will also be increasingly likely to farmland and some private roads and paths.

Adoption by the agency of the strategy will see the current flood defences at Climping maintained for two years to give time for residents to consider how this would affect them and to investigate and secure private arrangements to mitigate the impacts of the change.

The agency's officers have pledged to work closely with the affected residents and landowners to deal with these issues.

What do you think? Send a letter to [email protected] or leave a comment below.

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