Location reference:
Sheringham to Cromer
Policy Unit reference:
6.03
SUMMARY OF PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS AND JUSTIFICATION
Plan:
This area includes nationally important SSSI sites, designated for their geological exposures. The
long-term Plan for this length is to allow it to retreat, enabling a naturally-functioning coastal system,
with minimal human interference. This will maintain environmental interests and provide continued
sediment supply to beaches locally. The immediate cliff top area is mainly undeveloped and the land is
predominately used for agricultural purposes, but caravan parks are potentially at risk together with a
few properties at East Runton.
Policies to implement Plan:
From present day:
The policy option is to allow shoreline retreat through managed realignment.
This will entail making defunct defences safe and maintaining the two access
points at East and West Runton Gaps, which are locally important. Other than
this there will be no intervention to stop natural processes.
At the Gaps it is therefore proposed to maintain the defences to enable
continued access to the beach. This policy option will fulfil environmental
objectives, although it will also result in loss of agricultural and holiday camp
land.
This is not detrimental to the long-term Plan for this section of shoreline, due to
the limited stretch and short term life of these structures.
Medium-term:
Due to outflanking as cliffs erode to either side, it will become difficult to
continue to maintain the access points at East and West Runton Gaps,
therefore a no active intervention policy option is to be adopted once these
defences reach the end of their effective life. This will allow the natural
functioning of the coast and maintain the geological exposures of the cliffs and
foreshore.
Long-term:
To ensure the input of sediment to the SMP coastline, as a whole, the longterm policy option is for no active intervention. Other options are not likely to
become economically viable, as the villages of East Runton and West Runton
are unlikely to become threatened by erosion until beyond the next 100 years,
although isolated properties may be lost during this period.
The above provides the local details in respect of the SMP-wide Plan; therefore the above must be read in the context of the
wider-scale issues and policy implications, as presented in the preceding sections and Appendices to this Plan document.
The above provides the local details in respect of the SMP-wide Plan; therefore the above must be read in the context of the
wider-scale issues and policy implications, as presented in the preceding sections and Appendices to this Plan document.
The above provides the local details in respect of the SMP-wide Plan; therefore the above must be read in the context of the
wider-scale issues and policy implications, as presented in the preceding sections and Appendices to this Plan document.
Location reference:
Sheringham to Cromer
Policy Unit reference:
6.03
PREDICTED IMPLICATIONS OF THE PLAN FOR THIS LOCATION
Time
Period
By 2025
Property & Land Use
Loss of seafront land, but not
properties.
Some loss of caravan park land.
Loss of Grade 3 agricultural land.
By 2055
Loss of less than 5 commercial
properties in East Runton and
associated services.
Further loss of caravan park land.
Nature Conservation
Naturally-functioning coast.
Continued exposure of West
Runton SSSI and East Runton
cliffs SSSI and foreshore SSSI,
apart from locally at Gaps.
Naturally-functioning coast.
Continued exposure of West
Runton SSSI and East Runton
cliffs SSSI; improved at Gaps.
Landscape
No landscape objectives
identified.
Historic Environment
No loss of sites designated as
high importance.
Amenity & Recreational
Use
Access points and car parks
maintained.
Beach maintained.
No landscape objectives
identified.
Loss of one site, noted as high
importance.
Loss of existing accesses and
car parks. New accesses could
be created as funding permits.
Beach maintained.
Further loss of Grade 3
agricultural land.
By 2105
Cumulative loss of less than 10
houses and 10 commercial
properties and associated
services.
Further loss of caravan park land.
Cumulative loss of up to
approximately 45 hectares of
Grade 3 agricultural land.
Naturally-functioning coast.
Continued exposure of West
Runton SSSI and East Runton
cliffs SSSI.
No landscape objectives
identified.
No further loss of sites
designated as high importance.
Beach maintained, but existing
access not present.
New accesses could be created
as funding permits.