2B.11B: Soft engineering

• Beach nourishment

  • The addition of sand or pebbles to an existing beach to make it higher or wider. The sediment is usually dredged from the nearby seabed
  • Adv - Relatively cheap and easy to maintain
  • Adv - Looks natural and blends in with existing beach
  • Adv - It increases potential of tourists by creating a bigger beach
  • Dis - It needs constant maintenance because of the natural processes of erosion and longshore drift
  • Cost - £300,000 for 100 metres
  • Example - Skegness
• Cliff regrading and drainage

  • Cliff regrading reduces the angle of the cliff to help stabilise it. Drainage removes water to prevent landslides and slumping
  • Adv - Regrading can work on clay or loose rock, where other methods won't work
  • Adv - Drainage is cost effective
  • Dis - Regrading effectively causes the cliff to retreat
  • Dis - Drained cliffs can dry out and lead to collapse (rock falls)
  • Cost - £1m per 100m
  • Example - Canford Cliffs, Dorset
• Dune stabilisation

  • Marram grass can be planted to stabilise dunes. Areas can be fenced in to keep people off newly planted dunes
  • Adv - It maintains a natural coastal environment
  • Adv - It provides important wildlife habitats
  • Adv - It is relatively cheap and sustainable
  • Dis - It is time-consuming to plant marram grass
  • Dis - People may respond negatively to being kept off certain areas
  • Cost - £200 to £2000 for 100 metres
  • Example - West Sands Beach, St Andresw
• Marsh creation 


  • A form of managed retreat, by allowing low-lying coastal areas to be flooded by the sea. The land then becomes a salt marsh
  • Adv - It is relatively cheap, because it often involves land reverting to its original state before it was managed for agriculture
  • Adv - It creates a natural defence - providing a buffer to powerful waves
  • Adv - It creates an important wildlife habitat
  • Dis - Agricultural land is lost
  • Dis - Farmers or landowners need to be compensated
  • Cost - The cost is variable depending on the size of the area
  • Example - WWT Steart Marshes, West Somerset
• Managed retreat

  • The planned relocation of residents and the removal of structure and infrastructure
  • A breach is made in the existing defences to allow the sea to inundate the land
  • Adv - Can alleviate the pressure on other areas along the coast and reduce their risk of flooding
  • Adv - May be more cost-effective in the long run than maintaining hard defences
  • Dis - Relocation may cause stress and disruption
  • Dis - High short term cost
  • Dis - Coastal habitats destroyed/affected
  • Cost - Land owners compensated £5-10k
  • Example - Medmerry Sea Wall, West Sussex