MP to meet with Shoreline Management Plan bodies

Holderness coast

Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, is to meet with members of the Humber Estuary Coastal Authorities Group and Environment Agency (Friday Nov 13) following the publication of the draft of the second Shoreline Management Plan (SMP2).

 The plan, which covers the coast from Flamborough in the North to Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, in the South, sets out how and where the coast will be defended for the next 100 years.

 Graham said: “This is a draft plan and it is vital as many people as possible use the consultation period to make their feelings known.

 “This plan is an attempt at a compromise. It tries to strike a balance between what can be done and what should be done to either stop the natural processes of erosion or allow them to take their course.

 “So it is important residents in my constituency speak up and let the authorities know which parts of this plan are good and which are not.”

 Graham has orgainsed the meeting between the East Riding Council, one of the four local authorities involved in the plan, and the Environment Agency. Consultants who put the report together have also been invited.

 He said: “This plan will literally shape the Holderness coastline in future decades – it is vital it is right for as many people as possible.”

 And he added: “The Holderness coast is a living coastline – it has been since the last Ice Age. It is constantly on the move and we have always known that. The SMP gives everyone along the coast the chance to see, hear and even influence what is going to happen in the future.

  “While I fully understand many people will see the entire SMP as a complete waste of money, it must be remembered this is now part of an ongoing process – there will be future SMPs and the more often they happen the better we will all be able to assess what action needs to be taken by future generations.”