The Shoreline Management Plan considers the risk of flooding around the entire coastline over the next 100 years, with a focus on particular areas where work will be needed.
St Helier, Havre des Pas, St Aubin’s Bay and St Aubin’s Harbour are among the key areas highlighted, with a warning that flooding could occur during spring tides even if the sea is flat.
St Aubin’s Harbour and parts of St Aubin’s Bay are both named as potential areas where sea defences may have to be repositioned during the period from 2040 to 2070.
Several stretches of the south and east coasts between St Brelade and Archirondel are cited as locations for ‘adaptive management’. This is a pro-active approach that could include improving existing sea defences, constructing new defences, raising awareness of local flood risk or recommending protective measures to be adopted by property owners.
The plan, which will reviewed every ten years, states that measures to safeguard St Helier and Havre des Pas will be ‘essential to supporting the Island Plan policies, and driving a sustainable economy forward.’ In both areas, economic analysis included in the plan shows that the projected cost of work would be dwarfed by the potential cost of damage resulting from a ‘do nothing’ approach.
Islanders are being invited to find out more about the proposals, and comment on them prior to the draft plan being finalised. The details are available at gov.je/shorelineplan and a series of public events are scheduled:
- Tuesday 9 July: 7pm at Grouville Parish Hall – public presentation.
- Wednesday 10 July: 8am-11am, Gunsite – drop-in; 11.30-3pm, Liberation Station – drop-in; 6pm, Ommaroo Hotel, Havre des Pas – public presentation.
- Thursday 11 July: 8.30am, St Helier Town Hall – public presentation.
- Friday 12 July: 9.30am-3pm, King Street / Don Street, St Helier – drop-in; 3.30-5pm, St Brelade’s Parish Hall, St Aubin – drop-in; 5pm, St Brelade’s Parish Hall, St Aubin – public presentation.
- Saturday 13 July: 9am-11am, St Catherine’s Breakwater – drop-in.
Planning Minister John Young said: ‘This plan is very important as it will be input into the Island Plan – it is an open process and we very much hope that people get involved so that we can take account of their views.’
