Showdown with watchdog soughtover flooding problems in Pagham

An urgent meeting is being sought with an environmental watchdog after plans to stop Pagham from flooding were blocked.

Arun District Council is seeking the showdown with Natural England amid fears the objection could put residents at greater risk from the sea for a further year.

The council had wanted to start a 450,000 scheme this September by using 30,000 cubic metres of shingle from the nearby Church Norton spit to bolster the beach near Pagham Yacht Club to reduce the risk of flooding.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But Natural England has just blocked the use of the material because it would harm Pagham Harbour and its nature reserve which has national, European and global recognition because of its significance.

This will force Arun to import the shingle from offshore at much greater expense in an operation which might not start until 2010.

Roger Elkins, in charge of Arun's community safety work, said it was frustrating to have to get shingle from offshore when a huge quantity was available just a few hundred metres away.

Pagham Parish Council chairman Ray Radmall said: "We urgently need a sustainable long-term solution to Pagham's recent erosion problem."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP