CAS Case Study: Mullion Harbour, adapting to a stormier future

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t The National Trust Coastal Adaptation Strategy Case Study: Mullion Harbour Authors: Ed Bartlett, Alastair Cameron, Phil Dyke & Adrian Woodhall June 2010 CAS Case Study: Mullion Harbour, adapting to

1 t The National Trust Coastal Adaptation Strategy Case Study: Mullion Harbour Authors: Ed Bartlett, Alastair Cameron, Phil Dyke & Adrian Woodhall June 2010 CAS Case Study: Mullion Harbour, adapting to a stormier future Summary of case study The Harbour, was built in the 1890s in Mullion Cove on the Lizard Peninsula on the southern coast of Cornwall,. Mullion Harbour was given to the Trust without endowment in The harbour consists of a northern quay, western and southern breakwaters. The breakwaters have suffered repeated damage from wave action either from powerful ocean swells or storms since their construction. Recent repairs and some improvements since the early 1990s have incurred expenditure of over 1 million. The increasing repair and maintenance costs and the limited funds that are available required the development of a sustainable strategic vision for Mullion Harbour. The Mullion Harbour Study was commissioned in The NT South West Region recognised the key issues and developed a project to ensure the long-term future of the harbour. A steering group of key stakeholders were able to use the study data to help select the most appropriate strategy for managing the harbour over the next 100 years. The project has provided useful information for other harbour owners in Devon and Cornwall facing the same issues. It has also informed the Trust s wider national coastal strategy. Do again what went well A steering group was set up right from the start, which encompassed a broad membership of over 30 key stakeholders. 4 meetings were held over 18 months, each having high attendance. Leadership of stakeholder meetings by external consultants helped maintain a positive atmosphere. All contributions were valued; chairmanship was felt to be independent and impartial

2 Open days were held for broader communication with the local community. Consultants attended open days and were able to address expert level technical questions that local NT staff would have had to follow up. Weight of evidence helped to convince local experts and also helped provide a reasoned response to objections. A webpage was created on the NT website to communicate project progress. This allowed immediate and open access to information. This open approach was positively received. The high profile of climate change reporting in the national media reinforced the importance of the project, supporting the process to find an agreed long-term strategy for Mullion. The study was able to draw on the historical data about the harbour. This evidence added to the independent consultants report and helped to inform decision-making. An ability to show the advantages of being wise before the event helped to persuade others. The use of photomontage gave an immediate and accessible visual simulation of the proposed options see design approach section. Mullion provides a structured example of how the Trust is engaging with the complex issues of coastal change and developing adaptive long-term strategies. The approach taken could be used in many other areas. Next time round what could have been done better Make better use of electronic media opportunities. Make project information quicker and easier to find on NT website. Engage more effectively with young people e.g. possible involvement of school councils, development of better ways to allow real case studies to be used as learning opportunities. More detailed assessment of reputational risk to local NT staff from their involvement in stakeholder engagement e.g. potential for conflict with local community over the selected option. Determine extent to which there is a case for use of an external consultant or engage a project officer. Positive outcomes The study helped to achieve consensus on the preferred option. Mullion Cove, with the harbour structures allowed to safely diminish in the long term is something that all stakeholders came to accept. Appropriate repair and maintenance enables the local community and stakeholders time to prepare, adjust and adapt to the time when it no longer feasible to maintain. The local community and visitors are able to enjoy the harbour for as long as practicable. An adaptable and sustainable management strategy has been agreed. Specific recommendations Site Specific: Ensure that the results of the study remain available and fresh in the mind of the community to maintain continued support: Publish and distribute information leaflet 2 Plan publicity to coincide with quinquennial surveys. Nationwide 1. Ensure that the project data remains available on the NT website as a resource for those involved in developing strategies for other harbours facing similar issues

The site Mullion Cove grid reference SW 667 177 is the site of a historic pilchard fishing harbour, situated on the exposed Atlantic west coast of the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall.

Visitors appreciate the beauty of the area, unspoilt character of the sea, the atmosphere and the fact that fishermen still use the harbour. Visitor activities are mostly walking and sightseeing.

3 The site Mullion Cove grid reference SW is the site of a historic pilchard fishing harbour, situated on the exposed Atlantic west coast of the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. Mullion village is the largest settlement on the Lizard Peninsula with recreation and tourism the main activities. The south west coast path runs past the site. Visitors appreciate the beauty of the area, unspoilt character of the sea, the atmosphere and the fact that fishermen still use the harbour. Visitor activities are mostly walking and sightseeing. Designations that apply There are 6 Grade II listed structures including both breakwaters. Special Area of Conservation (The Lizard). Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Heritage Coast The need for the project Ongoing maintenance of the structure of the harbour walls and breakwater has been needed since construction 115 years ago. Records of damage sustained by the harbour during severe weather and the repairs carried out are have been made for the time the harbour has been in Trust ownership. Maintenance costs since 1992 have been over 1 million, indicating the extent to which the harbour is exposed to the power of the sea. The National Trust Phase 3 Coastal Risk Assessment report identified the harbour as at high risk of greater damage from the combined effects of a rising sea level, more heavy storm events and predicted change in prevailing wind direction. There was a clear need to determine a coastal adaptation strategy to manage the site in the long term (100 years) in line with the Trust s 2006 Coast and Marine Policy. Stakeholders Local tourism and fisheries associations Local, district, island and regional councils Mullion Cove residents Mullion Harbour Association Mullion Parish Council. National Trust South West Region Specialist consultants (BSW Structural Engineers and Halcrow) Statutory consultees SW Port and Harbour organisations (full listing in Mullion Harbour Study Report 1 ) Success factors A steering group had been set up right from the start, which encompassed a broad membership of key stakeholders. The study had gathered a lot of evidence and knowledge which could be used to inform any decisions an ability to show the advantages of being wise before the event helped to persuade others Weight of evidence helped to convince local experts and also helped provide a reasoned response to objections

4 Design approach The study set out to achieve the best option for the next 100 years. Detailed technical, environmental, financial and risk assessments were carried out and scores were aggregated to help stakeholders identify a preferred option. The four options presented were: 1. Offshore Breakwater The aims of this option were firstly to protect the existing harbour structures by reducing the wave height reaching the harbour arms and secondly to reduce wave penetration within the harbour. The proposed construction was of a 50m offshore surface piercing, low crested, reef type breakwater was expected to give greater protection to harbour. This option involved major, technically challenging engineering works, a multi stage consenting process and full environmental impact assessment. Photo-montage (above) to simulate breakwater option 2. Maintenance and Repair The aims of this option were to extend the life of the harbour structures by carrying out planned repairs and maintenance. This would enable the existing harbour structures to be retained in their present form and appearance. The harbour was assessed to have a good potential life span as long as repairs are carried out as needed, at minimum annually. The fundamental difficulty was expected when damage from one storm event couldn t be repaired before the next caused further damage. Photomontage (above) to simulate maintenance and repair option. 3. Managed retreat, as distinct from unmanaged, reactive retreat.with no maintenance and repair it is likely that the Western and Southern breakwaters would have become damaged to the point that they would need to be demolished and removed within years. Maintenance and repair to the grouting of the North West corner was expected to significantly extend the life of the structure and controlling the likely site of storm damage. The breakwaters were then expected to deteriorate from the seaward ends over a year period. This option also allowed the Northern Quay to be grouted, reducing its deterioration 4. Maintenance and repair until the harbour suffered major damage and began to fail, at which point the management strategy would change to managed retreat. This option balanced the desire to maintain the harbour structures as long as possible. At the same time it recognised that at some point in the future, taking potential sea level rise and climate change into account, the harbour structures would reach a point where maintenance costs could not be sustained. Although difficult to predict, the harbour structure was considered to be most vulnerable just before significant planned maintenance after 50years (2055) Photomontage (above) to simulate the cove without the harbour. Design considerations Identification of technical, risk, financial and environmental factors, likely to be affected by each option and their value and sensitivity

5 Identification of the likely impacts of each option relative to the potential impacts of doing nothing. Engaging the stakeholders National Trust staff: It was important to ensure clear communication with all external parties. The use of a website allowed easy shared access to information about the study. Project community engagement Project community engagement: Mullion harbour Open Day Community engagement in this project was very much about working towards an agreed long-term strategy for the harbour. Four stakeholder meetings were held between March 2004 and September 2006, each had high attendance. Open days were held for broader communication with the local community following each stakeholder meeting. Signs were installed at the harbour informing the public about the study and directing queries to the study team. The study was covered in articles in editions of the NT newsletter and local press. A two-day questionnaire/interview programme was carried out in Mullion Cove and Village, canvassing views from the local tourist and fishing industries. A presentation was made to Mullion Harbour Association and to Mullion Parish Council. NT webpage created to hold information on project progress, etc this meant that all could have access and this open approach had been positively received Identification of site issues The study report set out the detailed site issues and presented viable options, which enabled the stakeholder group to consider all evidence in a structured and objective way. Identify specialist consultants Halcrow and BSW Consulting Structural Engineers carried out the independent site assessment. The data and impartial evidence gathered was fundamental in allowing all stakeholders to make informed decisions that led to agreement on the preferred option. Halcrow post project report: November

6 Halcrow reviewed the lessons learnt from the Mullion Harbour Study, making the following recommendations: Sound comprehensive technical studies and investigations ensured that informed decisions could be made and that such decisions could be substantiated; The consultation process was good and valuable Environmental assessment has a key role to play in the assessment of sites where there are few tangible economic benefits. The further development of standard procedures and methods for CRA pilot studies would be valuable. Funding the project What, where from? Costs figures Funding figures EU Objective 1 funding 75,000 Neptune free funds 75,000 Consultation and on-site assessment work 150,000 What is the current situation? May 2010: NT staff continue to successfully carry out and communicate the agreed longterm strategy for Mullion Harbour, identifying ways to keep the message fresh in the minds of all stakeholders. Winter minor damage repair works undertaken. Further information on the Mullion Harbour project Alastair Cameron: Property Manager, Penrose. alastair.cameron@nationaltrust.org.uk Further information on other NT coastal matters phil.dyke@nationaltrust.org.uk Neptune (NT) funding criteria recognises coastal change and the Projects & Acquisition Group is prepared to consider these types of projects for whole or part funding. 1. Mullion Harbour Study Report Mullion Cove: A strategy for coping with climate change. NT information leaflet NT Mullion Harbour Study lessons learnt report. Halcrow

TOWN OF PORT HEDLAND INNOVATE RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN

TOWN OF PORT HEDLAND INNOVATE RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN www.porthedland.wa.gov.au Chief Executive Officer s Message The Town of Port Hedland is committed to reconciliation with its Aboriginal and Torres