Find out more about the Wash East Coastal Management Strategy
What is the Wash East Coastal Management Strategy?
The Wash East Coastal Management Strategy (WECMS) was published in 2015 for the east coast of The Wash between Wolferton Creek and the Hunstanton Cliffs. The strategy was prepared in partnership between the Environment Agency and the Borough Council, alongside stakeholder consultation.
Development of the WECMS was recommended by The Wash Shoreline Management Plan 4 (2010) to implement its management recommendations.
To do this the WECMS split the east coast of The Wash into three areas:
- Unit A – Hunstanton Cliffs (managed by the Borough Council)
- Unit B – Hunstanton Town (managed by the Borough Council)
- Unit C – South Hunstanton to Wolferton Creek (managed by the Environment Agency)
For each of these areas, the WECMS identifies the most suitable flood and coastal erosion risk management approaches which also seek to protect the natural and historic environment of the area.
To find out more, you can view the WECMS documents below.
- WECMS Strategy Appraisal Report
- WECMS Non-Technical Summary
- WECMS Environmental Report
- WECMS for Public Consultation
Unit C Initial Assessment Report (2024)
A sand and shingle ridge running parallel to the Heacham and Snettisham coastline (Unit C) forms the primary mean of reducing tidal flood risk to people, houses, caravans and habitat located directly behind the ridge. The ridge is managed by the Environment Agency and the current management approach is annual beach recycling (reprofiling sand / shingle already on the beach), intermittent beach recharge (importing sand / shingle from elsewhere and placing it on the beach and ridge) alongside routine monitoring of the beach and ridge.
The shingle ridge is mobile in nature meaning it will move and seek to spread landward over time. The height and shape of the ridge will also change in response to weather events, coastal processes and human intervention.
The Environment Agency identified two discrete issues which have arisen with the current management approach of the shingle ridge:
Movement of the shingle ridge
Monitoring data of the shingle ridge undertaken by the Environment Agency since 1992 has identified the shingle ridge has been moving landward and growing in height. In some locations, the crest (top) of the shingle ridge is now approximately 8-10 meters further back and 1.5 meters higher than it was in 1992.
Possibly in response to this, some property owners have excavated into the sides and top of the ridge, which reduces the integrity of the ridge and the level of flood protection it provides. Therefore, these property owners are placing themselves and their neighbours at increased flood risk.
Living with the shingle ridge
This guidance document provides information for residents along North Beach, South Beach, Jubilee Road and Snettisham Beach to ensure the protection of this fragile flood defence asset. For more information please see our living with the shingle ridge document.
Beach recharge
A small beach recharge was schedule to take place in the coming years, and given the time needed to plan such a project, planning had already commenced. This initial planning phase highlighted significant challenges in delivering a beach recharge. This is because of the shallow nature of The Wash which significantly restricts the ability to a vessel to deliver the works from the sea and the cost of delivery proving to be prohibitively expensive.
Encouragingly, monitoring data indicates a beach recharge scheme is not required at present due to enough material remaining available for annual beach recycling. Despite this, the Environment Agency do not expect the challenges associated with a beach recharge project to change over time.
The combination of these challenges has resulted in the Environment Agency commissioning an external consultant to undertake an initial assessment to determine whether a review of the current management approach to the shingle ridge is required. This has been done by reviewing whether pre-defined triggers within the WECMS have been reached and therefore, whether a full review of management activities is required.
You can view the outcomes of this initial assessment report below.
The initial assessment report concluded that the economic trigger has been met due to the predicted cost of delivering a beach recharge exceeding the amount of funding currently available. This means a full review of the WECMS will be required to determine what the future management approach will be here.
The initial assessment also confirmed that the current state of the beach is healthy. Indications are that a recharge is not required at present and annual beach recycling can continue alongside the WECMS review being carried out.
Following completion of the initial assessment report, the Environment Agency has engaged with residents by hosting two drop-in sessions in August:
- Thursday 8 August 2024 (4pm to 6:30pm) at Snettisham Sailing Club, Snettisham Beach, PE31 7RB.
- Friday 9 August 2024 (4pm to 6:30pm) at Heacham Methodist Church Hall, Station Road, Heacham, PE31 7YE.
If you have further questions about the outcomes of the initial assessment report or the drop-in sessions, please contact ean_engagement@environment-agency.gov.uk.
WECMS stakeholder forum
A stakeholder forum was established to help with the development of the Strategy and various local groups are invited to this forum. The stakeholder forum continues to meet at least two times a year to discuss works ongoing between Wolferton Creek and the Hunstanton Cliffs.
You can view stakeholder forum meeting agendas and minutes (including slide packs) below.
| Date | Contents | View |
|---|---|---|
| 5 December 2024 | Agenda and minutes (including slide pack) | Agenda Minutes |
| 1 August 2024 | Agenda and minutes (including slide pack) | Agenda Minutes |
| 21 September 2023 | Agenda and minutes (including slide pack) | Agenda Minutes |
| 2 March 2023 | Agenda and minutes (including slide pack) | Agenda Minutes |
| 18 October 2022 | Agenda and minutes (including slide pack) | Agenda Minutes |
| 10 May 2022 | Agenda and minutes (including slide pack) | Agenda Minutes |
| 7 October 2021 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 1 July 2021 | Agenda and minutes | Minutes |
| 2 October 2019 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 27 February 2018 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda |
| 20 December 2017 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
WECMS funding group
A funding group has been established to raise funds to maintain the shingle ridge sea defences between South Hunstanton and Snettisham. Members of the funding group include:
- Anglian Water
- Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk
- East Wash Coastal Management Community Interest Company
- Environment Agency
The funding group is now in year 8 of its 15-year programme of works for annual beach recycling. The partnership continues to work well to raise funds to complete annual works.
You can view funding group meeting agendas and minutes below.
| Date | Contents | View |
|---|---|---|
| 18 April 2024 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 8 February 2024 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 28 September 2023 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 24 May 2023 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 3 February 2023 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 13 April 2022 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 2 November 2021 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 1 July 2021 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 13 October 2020 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 31 October 2019 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 8 May 2019 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 26 February 2019 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 26 September 2018 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 25 October 2017 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
| 1 June 2017 | Agenda and minutes | Agenda Minutes |
Find out more on our Wash East Coastal Management Strategy funding group page.
Local sea defences newsletters
Each year, the WECMS funding group produces a newsletter which provides residents and businesses on annual works ongoing between the Hunstanton Cliffs and Wolferton Creek.
You can view Local Sea Defence Newsletters below.
| Date | Contents | View |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2024 | Autumn 2024 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| Winter 2023 | Winter 2023 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| Spring 2023 | Annual 2022-23 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| 2021-2022 | Annual 2021-22 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| Winter 2020 | Winter 2020 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| 2020 | Annual 2020 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| Winter 2019 | Winter 2019 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| 2019 | Annual 2019 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| 2018 | Annual 2018 local sea defences newsletter update | View |
| 2017 | Annual 2017 local sea defences newsletter update | View |