THE government is to seek Islanders’ views on shoreline management before allocating further funding to protect communities from flooding, according to the Infrastructure Minister.
Deputy Tom Binet said community engagement events would take place next year to raise awareness of potential projects and gather the views of parishioners.
Government independent economic advisors the Fiscal Policy Panel’s report, released this month, underlined the fact that the previous administration’s Government Plan committed to considering potential schemes this year as part of an Island-wide coastal management strategy.
However, it added none had been included in the proposed Government Plan for 2023-2026, which is due to be debated next month.
In response, Deputy Binet said: ‘In 2023, IHE [Infrastructure, Housing and the Environment] will begin community engagement to raise awareness and gather views, which will then be used in the further development of flood-mitigation projects.
‘This will then, in turn, inform the required budgets which will be put forward in future funding bids.’
Deputy Binet added: ‘With respect to the adaptation of the Island’s sea defences as outlined in the Shoreline Management Plan, these proposals remain very much at a feasibility optioneering level and site development will need to be informed by the community’s views and needs.’
November has seen strong winds, torrential rain and flash flooding hit the Island. From 2-3 November alone, Jersey Met recorded 36.3mm of rain, which represented almost a third of the average November rainfall over the past 30 years – 116.4mm.
A previous shoreline management plan published by the government in 2020 claimed flooding could cause damage totalling £110 million between 2020 and 2030 if no further mitigation was put in place.
According to the UK National Oceanography Centre, ocean levels are set to rise by 83cm over the next 98 years.
If this happens, islands will disappear and huge areas of land will be left submerged.
