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holderness coastal by Philip Ellis

management: an update
T HE COASTAL ZONE of
East Yorkshire, known as
Holderness (see Figure 1), has one
N
Flamborough
Head Predominent
Bridlington waves from Holderness
of the fastest eroding coastlines in the north-east
north-west Europe and presents Bay 1*
some of the most difficult and Barmston Drain
challenging problems of coastal Ulrome Bay 2*
management. The coast stretches Skipsea * A series of bays develops
for some 50 km in a smooth curve Hornsea between the defended North
Bay 3* ‘hard points’ Sea
of cliffs and beaches from the high Mappleton
chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head Kingston
Eroded material
in the north to the sand spit of upon
Bay 4* transported southwards
by longshore drift
Spurn Point in the south. Historical Hull
records show the loss of at least 30 South-east tidal currents
Withernsea
villages since Roman times through Bay 5*
stronger than north-west
coastal recession. At present, ebb currents, so net
Easington transport of sediment to
undefended land is still lost. south-east
River
Geology and landscape Humber Spit erodes from present
0 10 km position and moves westward
The area of Holderness, together Spurn Point
with the Humber estuary and Figure 1: Holderness: its location and processes at work
coastal Lincolnshire, did not exist
before the last ice age. Most of the term result of this erosion and is estimated that this process will
sediment removal is that the GeoActive
wholeSeriestake
20 Issue 2
anywhere between 500 and
area is less than 12,000 years old,
Fig 407_01 Mac/eps/illustrator 11 s/s
having been built from boulder coast is gradually attempting to 1,000
NELSON THORNES PUBLISHING years to develop. It involves
clay, the debris carried here by develop a shape that lies Artist:
at right- considerable
David Russell Illustration modification of the
the last glacial advances. The angles to the predominant north- coastline. One further outcome
boulder clay is easily weathered easterly wave direction (Figure 1). is that, as the bays develop, wave
and eroded, creating a low-lying energy at the defended headlands
landscape which ends as low cliffs Bays of the future will increase and the cost and
bordering the North Sea. The How effectively this shoreline difficulty of maintaining them may
sediment washed out of the cliffs shape can be created is in turn become unaffordable.
travels south along the coast by the controlled by the presence of
process known as longshore drift. non-eroding ‘hard points’ which Coastal monitoring
The actual line of the coast is even interrupt the natural formation The average rate of erosion over
younger, with changes in sea level of this smooth coastline. Initially, the whole length of the coast is
causing increased erosion which the relatively resistant chalk cliffs about 1.7 metres a year. However,
continues to the present day. of Flamborough formed the only rates fluctuate enormously from
such hard points. However, these season to season and location to
Coastal erosion have been added to in the form location. Accurate prediction is
The Holderness coast has been of artificially defended locations. often difficult, but very important
reshaped by energy released onto While preventing local erosion for the planning of management
the shoreline by the sea in the these fixed points gradually project schemes. The local authority
form of wave and tidal forces. further and further seawards as has been monitoring the rates of
Tides in the southern North the coast on either side is washed erosion for 50 years at over 110
Sea flow southwards. Powerful away. Over time, beaches re- fixed monitoring points along the
storms from the north-east create orient themselves parallel to the coast. Recently, the monitoring
conditions that drive loose eroded breaking waves, creating a series process has been revolutionised
material southwards. The long- of new wide bays (see Figure 1). It by the introduction of electronic

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 distance-measuring devices. The review and modification. Here the and strengthened the groynes to
development of highly mobile overall approach is ‘do-nothing’ increase the size of beaches.
global positioning satellite systems in areas that are not currently
(GPS) has made it possible to protected, allowing coastal erosion Withernsea There are now 2.26
survey large areas with remarkable to continue to cause retreat of km of concrete seawalls, timber
accuracy and speed. Currently the the shoreline; and ‘hold the line’ groynes, rock armouring and a
entire cliff and coastal frontage where there are important existing small offshore rock armour reef
from Flamborough to Spurn protection works at the main along the Withernsea frontage,
Point is being surveyed every six settlements, thereby maintaining last upgraded by adding re-curved
months, and a detailed picture the current position of the coast. sections of seawalls with rock
of cliff erosion, sand movements armour protection.
and beach conditions is being Holderness coastal protection
developed. Maintenance schedules Coastal protection is in place at Other protected frontages
are then adjusted to ensure that specific settlements in the coastal The cost of coastal protection
all the structures are functioning zone – Bridlington, Hornsea, works can only really be justified
correctly and safely. Mappleton and Withernsea when the cost of providing the
– as well as at the gas terminal defence works is less than the cost
Who’s in charge? at Easington and the site of a of the property being saved. Due
The overall control and financing major land drain at Barmston. to the high costs of carrying out
of both coast and sea defence (Sea defences at Mappleton and such works (over £10,000 per
systems is the responsibility of Easington gas terminal are shown metre), it is difficult for authorities
the central government under the in Figures 2 and 3.) There are also to approve defence works
Department for Environment, several private defences, associated outside the main settlements with
Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). with the large caravan parks at developed frontages.
DEFRA supervises schemes carried Skipsea and Ulrome; these have
out by the local authorities and temporary planning consent. Mappleton The current defences
other bodies with power from Away from these areas the coast at Mappleton were constructed
major Acts of Parliament. Within is undefended. A total of 11.4 km in 1991 after an economic case
this structure local authorities currently have coastal protection, was made. Cliff erosion looked set
have been encouraged to develop mostly through a mix of 19th- to claim the village and the main
long-term plans called Shoreline century structures and more road that links many of the coastal
Management Plans (SMPs) for recent upgrades, extensions and villages. The coast protection
their stretches of coast. alterations. It is rare for a totally works were put in to defend
new scheme to be constructed. 450 metres of cliff line using
The Shoreline Management 61,500 tonnes of rock armour to
Plan The protected settlements build two groynes and a sloping
SMPs provide a detailed All three of the main settlements revetment (Figure 2).
assessment of the risks associated have a similar history of coastal
with coastal processes. They set defence works, including the Easington Major North Sea gas
out policies to reduce risks to need to maintain amenities for terminals are situated on the cliff
people as well as to the natural the tourist industry from the 19th top to the north of the village.
environment. One of the basic century onwards. In the case of When first built it was assumed
principles of SMPs is that natural Bridlington the work was also that gas supplies would have run
processes should not be interfered needed to maintain its function as out before cliff erosion threatened
with unless this is necessary to a major fishing harbour. the facility. However, gas supplies
protect life or property. have remained strong and erosion
Bridlington Protection here has continued. With so much costly
There are four possible coastal now extends to 3.6 km of high infrastructure at risk, protection was
defence options: masonry and concrete seawalls a priority (Figure 3). Consideration
1 Do nothing. with groynes to stabilise the also had to be given to the two
beaches. Environmentally Sensitive Areas
2 Hold the existing defence line by (ESAs, both of which are also SSSIs)
monitoring or improving the level of on either side of the terminal area.
Hornsea Protection for the town
protection.
and its resort functions is provided A 1 km long revetment was built at
3 Advance the existing defence line. by 1.86 km of concrete seawalls, the base of the cliff at the terminal
4 Retreat the existing defence line. groynes and rock armour. Recent site, using 133,000 tonnes of rock.
upgrades have increased the height Disturbance to the two SSSIs had
The SMP for the Holderness of the seawalls to cope with rising to be minimised, so the defences
coastal stretch was completed sea levels, added wave-return were designed to offer as little
in 1998 and is subject to regular profiles to parts of the seawalls interference to the flow of sand

GeoActive Online Series 20 Spring issue Unit 407 Holderness Coastal Management: an Update © 2009 Nelson Thornes
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 within 30 metres of the cliff edge,
North Sea N and most development proposed
between 30 metres and 200 metres.
455 metres Even beyond 200 metres any
development has to be justified by
the need for a coastal location. The
Movement of Beach Rock basis for the 200 metre figure stems
beach material accumulation groyne
Increased
from an average rate of erosion
erosion along the coast of 1.5–2.0 metres a
year, giving 100 years of security.
B1242
The Holderness tourist industry
Hornsea focuses on the amenities of the
three main towns but also on
around 24 major caravan and
Mappleton
village Hull holiday park sites at present
situated within 200 metres of the
Figure 2: Mappleton’s defences coast. The main policy in respect of
GeoActive Series 20 Issue 2
Fig 407_02 Mac/eps/illustrator 11 s/s
these caravan sites is to encourage
NELSON THORNES PUBLISHING ‘roll-back’. This means the gradual
North Sea Illustration N
Artist: David Russell closing down of the existing sites,
relocating them more than 400
1,050 metres metres from the cliff. In this way
Movement of the local economy is maintained.
beach material Rock armour at foot of cliff
A coast in conflict
The impact of the physical
* SSSI coastal processes on residents
*
SSSI
and businesses in Holderness has
been considerable and has created
Easington gas terminal conflict. Many local residents
installations and businesses feel that coastal
protection should be maintained
and extended to avoid loss of
Easington roads, farms, houses or caravan
village
sites. Others argue that additional
Figure 3: Easington’s defences protection works will further upset
GeoActive Series 20 Issue 2
natural processes, leading to loss
as possible. The defences Fig hug
407_03 destruction
theMac/eps/illustrator and rebirth of the spit
11 s/s of sediment supply in other areas
base of the cliff, preventing THORNESfollows
further
NELSON PUBLISHING a 250-year cycle. However, of the coast. This would damage
Artist: David Russell Illustration homes, businesses and the ESAs
erosion without attempting to the natural cycle ended in the mid-
build beach levels. In this way sand 1800s when coastal protection of the Humber mudflats and the
continues to move past, and cliffs works on the spit started. By 1961, Lincolnshire coast.
erode on either side as before. A following increasing maintenance
condition placed on the scheme is costs, the decision was taken to Potential changes in our climate
that its need should be reviewed in abandon the defences, allowing look likely to include more severe
25 years’ time and allowance made natural processes to continue again. storms and more intense winter
for its removal if the gas terminals The likely outcome is that erosion rainfall. This, together with sea-
are no longer required. will wash away most of the spit, level rise, is likely to increase
leaving an island at its tip, and flooding and coastal erosion. Only
Spurn Point it will gradually re-form having with careful planning, using all
For the past 6,000 years, sand moved further west (see Figure 1). data from current monitoring of
moving south along the Holderness The coastline south of Spurn Point the coastal processes, can policies
cliff line has settled to form a will then no longer be protected be drawn up to meet the demands
sandbank or spit across the mouth and so will also come under attack of all the interested parties,
of the Humber estuary. Erosion by the sea. attempting to balance the demands
continuing along the coast has of the natural environment with
periodically removed part of the The ‘roll-back’ policy local and national interests.
spit but eventually the deposition Local planning guidelines now
process builds a new one. The prohibit all building development

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 Activities
running down to the coast and/or diagram of examples of such
farm buildings within 30–100 metres sites, deciding which defensive
of the coastline strategies appear to be used and
1 With a partner, check that you • a representative of regional estimating the size and scale of
both understand the meaning of and national Wildlife Trust the operations.
the following terms used in this organisations
unit: • a representative of local residents 6 (a) Make a copy of Figure 4.
• sand spit who own homes that are getting On your table fill in the blank
• revetment ever closer to the coast spaces with your considered
• masonry • a representative from DEFRA ideas of the advantages and
• rock armour. disadvantages of each type of
• a representative of the East defence.
Yorkshire Local Authority with (b) Imagine you are in charge
2 Weathering and erosion responsibility for local planning
are two physical processes of protection of the Holderness
proposals and the provision of
that attack the coastline at infrastructure and services in the coastline. Using your completed
Holderness. Explain how the area. table, choose three protection
two processes are different. In an area such as Holderness, methods that together you
who do you think would feel would be most effective in
3 Draw a diagram to show and support strong coastal protection reducing coastal erosion. Justify
explain the process of longshore measures, and who would your choice.
drift. like to see little or no coastal
protection?
4 Organise and hold a
discussion to put over the 5 Use internet sites such as
different points of view of the Google Maps (www.maps.
following groups of people: google.co.uk) to find satellite
• a representative of the Caravan and images of coastal defence works
Holiday Home Owners Association along the Holderness coast
• a local farmer who has land or on another stretch of coast
known to you. Draw a sketch

Structure type Example Advantages Disadvantages

(b) Easington
Splash walls
Used as secondary defences
to control the effects of
overtopping or flooding. Bridlington
Groynes
Groynes help to build up
and maintain beach levels by
intercepting the longshore
movement of sand. Hornsea
Offshore structures
Force waves to break
offshore. Reduce wave
energy and potential erosion
on the beach. South Withernsea
GeoActive Series 20 Issue 2
Fig 407_04 Mac/eps/illustrator 11 s/s
Figure 4: Advantages and disadvantages of different types of coastal defence
NELSON THORNES PUBLISHING
Artist: David Russell Illustration

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