GREATHAM NORTH FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME - PUBLIC EXHIBITION 16/11/2010

[Jamie]

GREATHAM NORTH CELL FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME - PUBLIC EXHIBITION AND
CONSULTATION AT GREATHAM VILLAGE HALL ON TUESDAY, 16th NOVEMBER 2010
(3.00-7.00 pm)

Members may be interested to know that the Environment Agency and their
consultants, Royal Haskoning, are holding a public exhibition and drop-in
session at Greatham Village Hall to give interested parties an opportunity
to view their flood alleviation proposals for the area north of Greatham
Creek on both sides of the A178.

This is a very exciting project, which aims to re-create approximately 25
hectares of new inter-tidal area between the Greatham Tank Farm bund in the
north and Greatham Creek to the south by making a breach (or breaches) in
the existing sea wall and allowing the area behind to flood. This process,
known as 'managed realignment', is one way of reducing the impact of
flooding elsewhere within the Greatham North Flood Cell (in which Huntsman
Tioxide's plant is located) whilst at the same time creating new habitat for
estuarine/saltmarsh birds.  The Agency is also looking at the possibility of
using adjacent arable fields they own for planting of winter seed crops for
vulnerable species such as Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting
and various finches.  Such crops might also attract wintering Twite, Lapland
Bunting and Corn Bunting.  A Master Plan has been prepared for the project,
which gives a broad overview of the environmental proposals, and this will
be on display at the exhibition.