Pevensey Bay

• Geography of the area:

  • World's only public private partnership sea defence contract
  • 9 km shingle beach
  • A permanent breach would result in 50 km^2 of land being flooded at high tide
• Pevensey Bay is:

  • South East of London
  • South coast of the UK
  • On the English Channel
• There were 150 groynes made of tropical hardwood that would only last 40 years, costing £150,000 each, but it would cost half of their budget to fix, so they only replaced 6.
• Pevensey Bay did not use a sea wall as it was too expensive (£10,000 per metre and £1000000 to maintain per year). It would also interfere with a home owner's way of life as it blocked their sea view and would make them unable to launch their boats into the sea.
• What coastal process is occurring?

  Longshore / littoral drift
• What are the current sea defences?

  Annual beach nourishment and 6 groynes (was 150)
• Why is it sustainable?

  Protects coast with minimal damage and shingle is recycled (SM/ICZM)
• Shingle is rainbowed onto the beach by Sospan Dau (dredger) in one place so longshore drift can distribute it naturally. 25000 m^3 is allowed to move onto the next sediment cell