Manhood Peninsula Partnership

The Government has awarded £11 million in grants to local authorities who demonstrated the best and most innovative ideas for dealing with and adapting to coastal change. Chichester District Council has been awarded £450,000 and we are delighted to be part of the Coastal Change Pathfinder Project.

15 local authorities were successful, each of whom have come up with their own schemes for working with communities that face the threat of coastal erosion.

For further information about Coastal Pathfinder see:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/flooding/manage/pathfinder/index.htm

The terms of the grant state that it cannot be used for the direct funding of sea defences. Instead the scheme is about working with local communities to adapt to coastal erosion. It is about recognising that the shape of our coastline is not fixed; but is subject to constant change which will only increase as our climate changes.

The Manhood Peninsula Partnership, the independent national charity CoastNet and the Manhood Peninsula Steering Group are working with Chichester District Council to deliver the different elements of the project:

• A “Coastal Literacy” Programme led by the independent national charity CoastNet, to produce web based learning, information materials and other tools to equip local people with the knowledge and understanding needed to participate in adaptation decision making
• Funding to investigate the formation of a community owned coastal trust for Selsey, including comprehensive feasibility studies, with a view to this trust potentially overseeing a series of coastal regeneration projects, owned by the community.
• Money towards improving access and enjoyment of the coast such as the replacement of the Fishermen’s and Divers’ Ramp at East Beach in Selsey.
• A small grants fund for residents and community groups with ideas and projects for relating to adapting to coastal change.

The Manhood Peninsula Partnership is overseeing the delivery of the Small Grants Fund, the Destination Management Study and the Integrated Coastal Zone Management proposal.

The Pre-Trust Group is working to investigate the feasibility of a community owned Coastal Trust for Selsey and to re-instate two beach access ramps lost to coastal change.

Details can be found in the following sections: Coastal Change Grant Fund; Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM); Destination Management Study; Selsey Pre Trust Group; Beach Access Ramps; Coastal Literacy.  More information about the Chichester Coastal Change Pathfinder Project can be found using the following links:

‘Local Governement & The Regions’ 16 - Ebbing Away From Jargon

 ’Local Government & The Regions’ 16 - CoastNet: Coastal Literacy or Bust

 ’Alarm’ article – Embracing Climate Change

‘WEM’ article – Going It Alone: Bunn Leisure coast protection scheme

For more information concerning coastal matters and legislation explore the Environment Links section of the website.