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The Bradworthy Wind Turbines
Councillor
Christie's Weblog
From your Torridge District Councillor Peter Christie
Previous entries
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1st June '08
Northam Burrows is run by Torridge but management decisions are taken
by a group consisting of the council, Devon county council, North Devon
council, the Environment Agency and Natural England. Following serious
concerns from various councillors, myself included, the group met in
April and now a letter has been sent from Natural England which reiterates
its position on the question of defending the Burrows in this era of
global climate change and rising sea levels. Reported in last week’s Journal they
are basically saying that ‘recharging the pebble ridge’,
or moving pebbles back from the Skern end to the slipway section each
year, will not be restarted. Additionally they will not be preventing ‘roll
back of the ridge’ or stopping the pebble ridge retreating as this
would only ‘increase the wave power felt on the ridge face.’ No
solution to the presence of the landfill site has been found but ‘there
is no immediate risk’ to it. The nub of Natural England’s
position is summed up by one sentence where they propose ‘to move
from a position of coastal defence to management of coastal change’ i.e.
the Burrows will not be defended but any changes will be ‘managed’.
This position will not please locals and I know some who claim their
local knowledge is a better guide to what could happen than the ideas
of Natural England’s scientists. One comment might give the golfers
cause to think – ‘There could be some impact on the golf
course, but there is space available to accommodate changes by adapting
the course.’ It is clear that he effects of climate change are
already here and we need to prepare for them – whatever they might
be. But what can we actually do? In the case of the pebble ridge Natural
England is relying on the calculations of Professor Pethick, one of Britain’s
leading coastal geomorphologists, that the ridge will rotate on its axis
to fit more ‘comfortably’ with the waves and thus keep itself
in being. If it doesn’t do that then we will face a catastrophic
breach of the ridge, flooding of the Burrows and possible scouring out
of the old rubbish dump. If it does go this way then the Burrows could
well be another example of ‘managed retreat’ from previously
defended land – as has happened at Porlock Bay in the last few
years.
Looking to the future I have been reading the draft report on the South West
Climate Change Action Plan which is currently being rolled out. It is a challenging
document and will ruffle a few feathers especially of those climate change deniers
on Torridge. My one hope is that politicians will not all rush to give their
parties a quick ‘greenwash’ – ‘We’re greener than
you yah boo’ etc - the situation really is too critical for that.
Before I forget I must answer the letter two weeks ago asking about the Devon county council run Fairlea residential home in Chope Road, Northam and its possible demolition. I did receive an anonymous letter several months ago and made enquiries with Torridge’s Conservation Officer who said he wasn’t aware of any plans to demolish it. The idea, however, that it could be sold does raise the interesting question of whether Devon county council should be selling off assets prior to the proposed re-organisation of the council set-up in Devon? I understand that the Government will probably step in and stop all such ‘asset stripping’ until the future of local government in the county becomes clear – so nothing should happen to Fairlea for some time yet if Devon acts responsibly.
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