Pagham to battlefor floods funding

About 2m of the 5m ridge of shingle which protects the low-lying area around West Front Road and East Front Road from the waves has been eroded in the past six months.

There are real fears that a severe storm with a combination of strong winds and a high tide will lead to flooding of coastal properties.

Some 150 dwellings could be at risk from a serious breach of the shingle protection. Another 95 would suffer the impact of the flooding. A meeting between Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, Arun District Council and Environment Agency officials about the situation took place last Friday afternoon.

Arun wants 120,000 from the agency to pay for a study to find out why shingle is suddenly being deposited by the tides on off-shore bars rather than on the shore. But an EA official warned there was no guarantee that Pagham's problems would warrant funding.

Area flood risk manager Andrew Gilham said: 'We know we are facing huge challenges along our coastline with rising sea levels, more extreme weather and increased erosion.

'As the operating authority of Pagham Beach, Arun would need to demonstrate why money should be invested to build flood defences here.

'We would then assess this against the needs of the rest of the country as this would have to come from the funds available from central government to provide flood defences.'

However, Mr Gilham stated that the agency was committed to working in partnership with the district council to find the best solution to the problem.

It had also encouraged Arun to develop emergency response plans should the extent of erosion increase and threaten any property.

A joint review, with Chichester District Council, was also underway about how to manage the seafront between Pagham Beach and East Head on the Manhood Peninsular during the next century. About 20,000 people live on that stretch of coastline.

Arun has also invited representatives from the EA to meet councillors in January.