The East Riding of Yorkshire Biodiversity Action Plan (ERYBAP) Strategy sets the overall picture for the ERYBAP as a whole and the framework for how the other sections of the document will work. It does not provide specific actions and targets for habitats or species, as these will be included within separate Habitat and Species Action Plans (HAPs and SAPs), which are currently being developed by the Biodiversity Partnership.
In October 2010 the ERYBAP Strategy was formally adopted by the Council and partners. The document will form an important part of the evidence base for developing other plans and policies, including the Local Development Framework (LDF).
A lot of work has gone into producing this document which has been consulted on with local specialists, naturalists and with the public. As a partnership document its success will be down to the participation and enthusiasm of the people involved. The role of the Biodiversity Partnership is now moving forwards to focus on the development of HAPs and SAPs and the delivery of local biodiversity projects.
East Riding of Yorkshire Biodiversity Action Plan (ERYBAP) (pdf 3.8mb opens in new window)
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East Riding of Yorkshire Council recognises that its operations and service delivery have effects on the environment both at a local level and in a wider context. The council is committed where practicable to reducing those effects by managing its own environmental impacts, encouraging and supporting others to do the same and continuously improving the environment for the benefit of residents, employees, businesses and visitors to the East Riding of Yorkshire. To help achieve this an Environmental Policy has been developed that sets out a range of environmental objectives that the council will work towards to manage and improve its environmental performance.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council Environmental Policy (2012) (pdf 242kb opens in new window)
Every year the council reports against the objectives from the Environmental Policy in the annual Environmental Statement, which picks out the key achievements we have made against the objectives.
08/09 Environmental Statement (pdf 2mb opens in new window)
09/10 Environmental Statement (pdf 563kb opens in new window)
10/11 Environmental Statement (pdf 799kb opens in new window)
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A Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) is a document that sets out policies to assist decision-making on coastal management issues over the next 20, 50 and 100 years. The Plan provides a large-scale assessment of the potential risk of flooding and coastal erosion and aims to identify sustainable coastal defence options, taking into account the influences and needs of the human, natural and historic environments.
The government requires that all coastal areas of England are covered by a SMP, each of which is developed following best practice guidance provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The Defra guidance identifies the four possible policies available for each section of coast:
- Hold the existing defence line
- Advance the existing defence line
- Managed realignment
- No active intervention
Once finalised SMPs form non-statutory planning documents which identify policies to manage risks for a specific area of coast. This helps inform the next stage of management which is the production of strategies which identify appropriate schemes to put the SMP policies into practice. Following this, work is undertaken at scheme level where different options are compared and a preferred option selected and designed in order to put the preferred scheme into practice. SMPs also play a fundamental role in providing the required evidence base to allow Councils to access national funding to support future coastal strategies and schemes.
The East Riding coast is covered by the Humber Estuary Coastal Authorities Group (HECAG) SMP. East Riding of Yorkshire Council has been lead authority in the development of the HECAG SMP, in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council, East Lindsey District council, Lincolnshire County Council, The Environment Agency, Natural England, The National Farmers Union and English Heritage. The HECAG SMP is a review of the first generation of Plans produced in the 1990’s and considers the coastline from Flamborough Head in the East Riding to Gibraltar Point in Lincolnshire, replacing two separate first generation SMPs.
HECAG SMP (pdf 39mb opens in new window)
The coastline within the SMP area includes 3 distinct areas. The coastline in the north is typified by soft, eroding cliffs. Defences protect the towns of Bridlington, Hornsea, Mappleton and Withernsea, but the undefended parts of this coastline are eroding rapidly. The floodplain of the outer Humber Estuary includes some of the most productive agricultural land in the UK and major concentrations of industrial and commercial properties. The Lincolnshire coastline has coastal defences protecting extensive areas of low-lying land. There are numerous environmentally important areas, all of which are protected, reflecting the importance of Lincolnshire’s coastal habitats.
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Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is an approach to coastal management, promoted as a means of involving all those with an interest in the coast in its long term management. The approach aims to address environmental, social and economic challenges that arise in coastal areas and resolve any emerging conflicts. ICZM is based on eight key principles, which have been recognised by the Government as playing a key part in the development of a strategic approach to the management of coastal areas in England. The eight principles are:
- A broad holistic approach
- Taking a long term perspective
- Adaptive management
- Specific solutions and flexible measures
- Working with natural processes
- Participatory planning
- Support and involvement of all relevant administrative bodies
- Use of a combination of instruments
In 2000, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and other interested parties agreed to develop an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for the East Riding coastal zone, as one of the fastest eroding in Europe. After 18 month's development involving over 80 organisations, the Plan - "Towards a sustainable coast" was launched on 10th July 2002. This initiative was accompanied by the formation of a Coastal Forum to encourage engagement with coastal communities and allowing the sharing of information.
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (pdf 1mb opens in new window)
The East Riding Coastal Change Pathfinder (ERCCP) project has been developed and delivered within the principles of ICZM. This has allowed the East Riding ICZM initiative to be reviewed as part of the ERCCP to ensure it remains relevant and incorporates recent directives from central government.
It is expected that the ERCCP will play a significant role in re-establishing ICZM within the East Riding as a result of the partnership approach that has been required to support the delivery of the project. It is anticipated that the East Riding ICZM Forum will provide an important tool for communicating the findings of the ERCCP and wider coastal issues. However, there is now an opportunity for the existing ICZM Forum to evolve and take on the role of a coastal partnership as advocated at national level.
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