Thank you to everyone who attended our community information event at Browns Golf & PLUTO'S Café on Tuesday 18 February. We had a great turnout and spoke to many members of the community about the initial design for the scheme. At the event we presented artists illustrations showing what the scheme might look like and what might happen during construction. We explained how the scheme will better protect 168 homes and 118 businesses from coastal erosion and flooding.

The posters displayed at the event can be viewed here -

• The need for the scheme
• Assessment of options
• What improvements would you like to see?
• What might happen during the refurbishment?
• What might a coastal defence refurbishment look like?

You can also find our Engagement Summary Report here which includes our responses to the questions raised during the session.

Shanklin & Yaverland Coastal Defence Update – Exciting Progress for Our Community!

Great news! Over £4 million in government funding has been secured to develop a Full Business Case (FBC) for the Shanklin and Yaverland Coastal Defence Schemes. This is a vital step forwards, helping us to better protect our coastline, homes, businesses and infrastructure.

Why This Matters

Coastal erosion and flooding have long been concerns for our community. This scheme is designed to safeguard over 500 properties and businesses, ensuring a more resilient and sustainable future for Sandown Bay. By strengthening sea walls, reinforcing foundations, and maintaining beach stability, we’re helping to protect the coastline for future generations while preserving the stunning views and natural beauty we all cherish.

Key Updates

✅ Funding Boost – Over £4 million secured for the next stage, with further funding strategies being explored.
✅ Stronger Protections – Plans to reinforce the sea wall and enhance beach stability through carefully designed defences.
✅ Carbon Conscious Approach – The project will use low-carbon materials and sustainable maintenance methods.
✅ Public Consultation – Your input is essential! Designs will incorporate community feedback, and we’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

What’s Next?

Finalising Designs – Detailed designs, including sea wall finishes and pedestrian railings, will be shaped in 2025.
Construction Timeline – If all goes to plan, work is expected to begin in Spring 2027, with completion by 2030.
Preserving Our Bay – The scheme will maintain the uninterrupted coastal views we all love, while also ensuring long-term protection.

This is an exciting time for our coastal community, and we want everyone to feel part of this journey. Whether you’re a resident, business owner, or visitor, your support and input are invaluable in shaping the future of Sandown Bay.

If you have any questions, or want to learn more, come along to our events or email IOW_FDschemes@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Thank you for being part of this vital project – together, we’re making our coastline stronger, safer, and better for generations to come!

Our team visited Sandown Wastewater Treatment Works last week. The site is at risk of flooding from the sea if the Yaverland coastal defences were to fail. The site could be inundated by around 50cm of flood water. Southern Water showed us the site to help us understand what equipment is at risk of flooding and the associated impacts to their customers.

Understanding the potential impacts of flooding at the site will help us to attract additional funding for the refurbishment work and build a stronger case for investing in the coastal defences. The Yaverland Coastal Defence scheme will better protect this critical infrastructure from the risk of flooding from the sea for 50 years.

Out of the 5 short list of options, Option 3 (Keep the existing defence level) has been chosen by Isle of Wight Council as the preferred way forward following a recommendation made by the Environment Agency.

Option 1: Do Nothing

Option 2: Do Minimum

Option 3: Keep the existing defence level

Option 4: Raise the level of the defence in stages into the future

Option 5: Raise the defence level now

Option 3 will involve construction works to refurbish the sea wall and timber and concrete groynes. The methodology for refurbishment will be confirmed during the next stage as the team progress with drawing up an initial design.

The current thinking is that works to the walls will be constructed using shutters and in-situ pour of concrete 200mm against the face of the existing sea wall. This option will provide a quality finish. Temporary works such as sheet piling will be required along the section of wall and groyne being worked on to provide a safe and dry working corridor.

The defence level will be kept at the existing level. No raising of the existing defence height will be made over the next 50 years. As part of the refurbishment project, we will include works which strengthen the foundations of the seawall with the foresight that a decision to raise the height of the seawall may be a viable option in 50 years’ time.

Further details on how and why the preferred option was selected can be found in our FAQs

Option 3 provides over £160 million worth of benefits to people, property and the environment. The additional benefits associated with Option 4 and Option 5 are not as great. The figure below shows the cost to construct Option 3 is significantly less compared with Option 4 and Option 5. Increasing the height of the sea wall almost doubles the cost of the scheme. The public consultation told us that there is interest locally in raising the height of the existing defences however the funding shortfall of £6.4million and over £13million for Option 4 and Option 5 respectively makes these unviable options for Isle of Wight Council to take forward.

Information on Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management schemes are funded can be found here: https://thefloodhub.co.uk/frms-funding-and-delivery/

Addressing the shortfall in funding for the preferred option -

As a competent authority under Habitat Regulations the Environment Agency must have regard for the protection of the designated freshwater habitat of Brading Marshes, and can therefore apply for funding set aside to protect designated habitat. This funding will only cover the costs to close a funding gap for the lowest cost option for achieving habitat protection. This is Option 3 which is the most economically viable way of protecting Brading Marshes.

The Environment Agency submitted a business case to Southern Water seeking a contribution towards the scheme as the water treatment works in Sandown will benefit from better protection from flooding from the sea. This bid has been included in Southern Water’s submission to The Water Services Regulation Authority, or Ofwat. This bid will not be determined until December 2024.

A funding strategy will be produced during the Full Business Case stage in 2025. Project costs are expected to change following more detailed costings from our contractor.

Flood modelling uses predicted river flows, rainfall, and coastal levels combined with topographic data and flow equations to generate flood risk information (such as depth, velocity, flood levels, and hazards). Our team of specialists updated the coastal flood modelling for Yaverland to ensure it uses the latest information and software available.

The main coastal threat to Yaverland is failure of the sea defences due to their current poor condition. Our latest modelling predicts that failure of the coastal defences would adversely impact 138 residential properties and 136 businesses. The below map shows the anticipated flood extent in the event of defences failing.

Preventing this scenario can be achieved through either Option 3, Option 4 or Option 5*. Increasing the height of the coastal defences does not provide any additional erosion protection over Option 3, it only provides a greater level of protection against flooding associated with waves overtopping the seawall.

Modelling results tell us that the risk of flooding from wave overtopping is low given the existing height of the defences and raised floor levels of properties. Modelling suggests that 11 residential and 16 non-residential properties at Yaverland would remain at risk of internal flooding from overtopping after completion of Option 3.

*Option 3 - Keep the existing defence level
*Option 4 - Raise the level of the defence in stages into the future
*Option 5 - Raise the defence level now

We received 45 responses in total. Of the 45 responses, 35 people gave their permission for us to publish their response.

Summary of key findings from the consultation responses:

• No one favoured the do nothing or do minimal option (short list Option 1 and Option 2). Respondents told us that better protection from coastal erosion and flooding is a priority.
• Option 5 was the most favourable option to raise the defences now to address future sea level rise. A total of 32 of the 35 respondents agreed or strongly agreed with taking option 5 forward. Respondents told us that there is an interest locally in raising the height of the coastal defences to reduce the risk to Yaverland and Sandown from rising sea level both now and in the future.

The full report can be found here

The Environment Agency and Isle of Wight Council are working together to manage coastal erosion and flood risk from the sea. Climate change is bringing more frequent and severe floods and storm events. The coastal defences in Yaverland include the sea wall and groynes. The beach also provides an important role by protecting the coastline behind it. The sea wall and groynes are in a poor condition and are reaching the end of their useful life. Without intervention the risk and severity of flooding and coastal erosion will continue to increase.

We have been looking at what we can do to manage coastal erosion and flood risk from the sea in Yaverland. We’ve narrowed a number of options down to a short list of 5. They need further investigation to decide which, if any, we should take forward. We want to carry out a more detailed consultation, to hear your views on the options we have been investigating and your feedback will help us to determine a preferred option . We would also like your general feedback to help make sure we have considered all possible options before developing a design. The proposals will not eliminate the risk of coastal erosion and flooding, only lessen it.Our online consultation is running from Monday 23 October 2023 to Friday 1 December 2023.

The short list of options being considered:

Option 1: Do Nothing

Option 2: Do Minimum

Option 3: Keep the existing defence level

Option 4: Raise the level of the defence in stages into the future

Option 5: Raise the defence level now

We produced the following information for our public exhibitions to help explain what the scheme is about, what we have been doing so far and how we arrived at our short list of options:

• Introduction
• Scheme Extent
• Survey and Investigations
• Constraints and Opportunities
• Measures considered
• Project objectives and criteria
• Short List

You should review these documents before completing the consultation.

If you require these documents in a different format please don't hesitate to contact us: IOW_FDschemes@environment-agency.gov.uk

It is not a statutory requirement to consult on options for a coastal defence scheme. We would however like to understand the views and opinions of the end user, and recognise that this is good practice. The Environment Agency are running this consultation, and will do so in accordance with the guidance set out in the Government’s Consultation Principles.

If you have any queries or complaints about the way this consultation has been carried out, please email consultation.enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Why your views matter

From a survey we ran over the summer of 2022, you told us that it is a local priority to reduce flood and coastal erosion risk both now and in the future between Yaverland and Sandown. We encourage you to submit your response to the consultation online, which will enable us to manage your comments more effectively. It will also help us to gather and summarise responses quickly, accurately and cost effectively. However, paper copies can be requested or are available at Sandown Library.

We, the Environment Agency, will keep your details until the scheme is complete. We will publish a summary of responses on Citizen Space within 12 weeks of this consultation closing. We will not publish any personal data. We will not respond individually to responses. In line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we may be required to publish your response to this consultation, but will not include any personal information. If you have requested your response to be kept confidential, we may still be required to provide a summary of it. For more information see our Personal Information Charter. We are running this consultation in accordance with the guidance set out in the government's consultation principles.

If you have any questions or complaints about the way this consultation has been carried out, please contact consultation.enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Public Exhibitions November 2023

We had a great turnout at our public exhibitions to showcase the short list of options for refurbishing the coastal defences. We were delighted to host nearly 100 visitors at The Clifton Hotel in Shanklin. Everyone who attended welcomed the opportunity to escape the wet weather, have a warm drink, and chat to the project team and other visitors to the exhibition. We also enjoyed Dinosaur Isle’s Blast from the Past event, where over 650 visitors passed through the doors. We want to thank everyone who took the time to come along.

To celebrate Earth Science Week, (9th - 15th October 2022), members of the project team took part in a guided walk of Yaverland sea wall with members of the local community. We were treated to a fascinating introduction by Dinosaur Isle to the geology of the area. The area of foreshore in front of Yaverland car park is part of the Yaverland Regionally Important Geological/Geomorphological Site (RIGS) due to its geology. It is identified as a site containing dinosaur footprints and it was discussed that upcoming ground investigation works could potentially reveal more undocumented footprints or other fossil remains.

In January 2023, the below ground explorations required careful monitoring by palaeontologists from the Dinosaur Isle Museum. As a result, additional dinosaur footprints were discovered on the beach in a trench in front of the centre of the Yaverland Car Park. The new footprints make it clear that the land on which the dinosaurs walked is likely to stretch the whole length of Yaverland beach. A palaeontologist will be on hand to keep a watchful eye over future construction work. More information on the discovery can be found here