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ABPmer
Quayside Suite
Medina Chambers
Town Quay
Southampton
SO14 2AQ
1991
Managed realignment
United Kingdom
Blackwater Estuary (Essex)
0.7149
51.719
Lagoon
Saltmarsh
0.8 Hectares
Habitat Creation
Demonstration or Pilot Project
This was essentially the first official managed realignment project in the UK. It was implemented (in 1991) as a small-scale prof of concept trial.
This site was selected because there was a sea defence problem on the south side of the island where the fronting marsh had eroded to a narrow strip.
The resulting destabilisation of the sea defence embankment meant that the viability of continued maintenance was a concern.
The project involved one breach (20 m wide) and the embankment was lowered to 2.65 OD over a 200 m length.
Further measures have also been undertaken on this island (which is owned and managed by the National Trust). In recent years for example (2015/16 onwards) the National Trust has carried out several new coastal adaptation and habitat enhancement initiatives. These projects (past and present) are captured across his OMReg database and include the beneficial use of dredge sediment on the West side of the island two new managed realignments on the south and south east of the island.
ABPmer
Quayside Suite
Medina Chambers
Town Quay
Southampton
SO14 2AQ