coastal and marine environment brochure - Atkins

Coastal and marine
environment
1

Contents
01 Why Atkins 5
02 How we can help 6
03 Drivers 8
04 Our experience: Strategic coastal and marine planning 10
05 Our experience: Marine environment regulation and compliance 21
06 Our experience: Future beach management and design 30
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01
Why Atkins
Atkins is one of the world’s leading engineering
and design consultancies.
Within the coastal environment,
our specialists provide an
integrated approach to the
planning and management of
coastal and marine environments
to ensure their sustainable use
and protection.
We create sustainable beach
designs and assess the
environmental impact of new
coastline developments around
the world. Our dedicated team
can also provide experienced
advice on the adaptive design
of coastal defence structures
and landforms to prepare for a
changing climate.
We use innovative modelling
techniques to study waves,
currents and sediment movement
for a variety of purposes ranging
from beach tourism design,
marina engineering to forecasting
storm surge inundation.
Our extensive experience enables
us to provide holistic solutions for
a wide range of projects, seeking
to help coastal conservationists,
landscape architects, waterfront
developers, industrial port
planners and public sector clients.
5

02
How we can help
Nick
Elderfield
(Taunton)
Jonathon
McCue
(Warrington)
Melissa
Boyd
(Epsom)
Nigel
Coulshed
(Glasgow)
Kath
Winnard
(Swansea)
Paul
Canning
(Bristol)
Strategic coastal and marine planning
Our team conduct studies and provide strategic advice on coastal
and marine management to inform the planning process. The
information we provide helps to clarify objectives, set priorities
and direct decision-making to ensure the sustainable use of our
coastal and marine environments.
Our range of strategic studies and planning support we
provide include:
• Coastal strategy studies (UK)
• Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)
• Shoreline management plans (SMPs)
• Marine spatial plans – to assist with the implementation of the
Marine and Coastal Access Bill
• Coastal emergency planning
• Coastal tourism and resort feasibility studies
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Marine environmental assessment and
regulatory compliance
Our specialists have extensive experience assisting clients to meet
regulatory requirements and obtain the necessary permits for intertidal,
shoreline or offshore developments.
We can identify risks and the impacts of human activity on the marine
environment and develop measures to mitigate them. Our team can
create a clear picture of what there is to protect, how to conserve
them and from this help to meet the delicate balance between
conservation and development.
Our marine environmental assessment services include:
• Coastal /marine EIA or SEA and environmental appraisals- to
identify risks and impacts from development proposals
Future beach design and management
Beaches aren’t just for sunbathers. They are an asset to many
of our clients and we help to maximise the socio-economic benefits
that beaches bring through improving existing management practices
to creating new safe beaches.
We can help to:
• Design new sustainable sand and shingle beaches
• Conduct beach safety and risk management studies
• Improve flood defence advice and mitigate coastal erosion
• Provide emergency planning services- e.g. business continuity or
complying with the Civil Contingency Act
• Marine habitat surveys – to undertake baseline marine surveys to
support EIA studies
• Coastal water quality assessments- to assist in (for example)
bathing water quality assessments
• Design of coastal habitat re-creation, restoration and translocation
of species/habitats
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03
Drivers for change
Sea levels are rising twice as fast as predicted
More than 70% of the world’s population live along coastal plains and
will be vulnerable to increases in sea levels. Despite the IPCC predicting
a worst case scenario of a rise of 59cm by 2100, new evidence shows
this estimate may be exceeded faster than predicted.
A changing climate for coastal nations will affect all aspects of modern
life from local economies, water resources, flood risk, fisheries and
marine habitats. Therefore, it is important that the impacts of climate
change are recognised and adaptation strategies are employed.
8

Less than 1% of the world’s oceans are protected
The eight Millennium Development Goals sets a framework for the
development activities of over 190 countries. In response to the loss of
global biodiversity, land and marine protection is encouraged through
these goals. However despite their importance to the sustainability
of fish stocks and livelihoods, only 0.7 per cent of the world’s oceans
are protected. At Atkins, we feel protection alone is insufficient- all
protected areas must also be managed effectively for conservation and
incorporate socio-economic factors to secure sustainable livelihoods.
Adapting to a changing political environment –
marine planning
Marine spatial planning is an effective way to establish a planning
process to balance the conservation of marine resources with
the impact of human activities. The process provides a sound
understanding of all human activities in marine areas and sets a
comprehensive plan to create a more balanced and sustainable
approach to marine resource management, including the development
of marine renewable energy.
This integrated approach is currently being considered in the UK
through new legislation and new Marine Strategy Frameworks and
Policies being reviewed for pan European acceptance.
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04
Our experience
Strategic coastal and
marine planning
Assessing aquaculture activities across Europe
Client: Poseidon Aquatic Resource Management Ltd
Atkins created a picture of all aquaculture activities in the European
Union in five years time. Our work helped to inform the European
Commission on any gaps in environmental legislation and helped
them assess the impact of aquaculture if EU waters achieved ‘good
ecological status.’
Output from the report for Poseidon Aquatic Resource Management Ltd
Production Systems
Pressure Categories
Cage Farms
Shellfish rafts
& longlines
Shellfish
inter-tidal
Shellfish
bottom
culture
Land based
tanks
Land based
ponds
Lagoon
culture
1. Sedimentation
2. Change in
bio-geochemistry
3. Infrastructure Impacts
4. Visual land and seascape
modification
5. Disturbance
6. Predator control
7. Hazardous substance use
8. Pathogen transmission
9. Inter-breeding with
wild organisms
10. Introduction of
alien species
Level of pressure exerted:
High Moderate Low Negligible Uncertain 12
The benefit of this has been to clarify parameters where aquacultural
development should take place.
10
The study showed that various pressure categories can be exerted
on the marine environment from different aquacultural production
systems (as outlined in the diagram). The new Marine Framework
Directive is asking Member States to now take these findings
into consideration.

“I believe the particular choice of
staff for the Shoreline Management
Plan has been the main reason for it’s
excellent progress and results”
David Harris,
Severn Estuary Coastal Group Chair
Flood risk and shoreline management
for the Severn Estuary
Client: Environmental Agency and Severn Estuary Coastal Group
Our team has developed a flood risk management strategy for the
Severn Estuary, that has informed the client of the extent of flood risk
and strategic areas where more active flood management programmes
maybe required.
The team is also simultaneously conducting a shoreline management
plan to provide strategic guidance for coastal defence decision making
and sets a policy framework over 20, 50 and 100 years to manage any
risks to people and the built and natural environment.
The merging of the two programmes has enabled the joint
management of a number of key risks and opportunities identified in
both studies and has brought significant time and cost savings to
the client.
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Developing Guyana’s first ever
environmental profile
Client: EC Delegation, Guyana
Following the worst natural flooding disaster event in Guyana’s
history in December 2004, significant efforts were made to plan
and enable environmental strategies and donor funded recovery
initiatives to prevent future incidents.
Atkins prepared a Country Environmental Profile (CEP) which is a
key mechanism used to formulate a strategic response on national
environmental issues. Being the first CEP ever completed for Guyana, it
established linkages between the environment and addressing poverty
reduction in the country.
Our work has helped to strategically outline future environmental
opportunities and challenges for Guyana in the coming years,
and subsequently the team was asked to review future EC
financial intervention programmes relating to sea defence
management in Guyana.
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“The Atkins document was consulted widely with
Government, environmental agencies and nonstate
actors as well as within the donor community.
The team produced a comprehensive document
which will inform all stakeholders in their future
programming activities. The Delegation in Guyana
thanks the team for their professional grip and
efficient execution of the mission.”
Regional Co-ordinator, European Union
Delegation, Guyana
13

“The IOC Working Group formally
recognise the work by Atkins as
being very useful reference for
future discussion”
Bernado Aliaga
Technical Secretary IOC
Outlining the future of the Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission
Client: Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
Atkins assisted the IOC (part of UNESCO) in planning future research
and programmes to assist all coastal nations around the world.
The Atkins team work closely with UNESCO in producing an online
questionnaire and subsequent analysis report to establish a working
group on the “Future of the IOC.” This was established to help
prioritise attention on where Member States require specific coastal
and oceanographic research needs in the coming decade.
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Supporting integrated coastal zone
management for Wales
Client: Countryside Council for Wales
From an extensive review of existing information on current
and potential impacts of climate change along the Welsh coastline,
Atkins helped to improve understanding of existing coastal data to
better determine future knowledge management requirements to
deliver ICZM in Wales.
The project enabled the client to address weaknesses in existing
coastal datasets in relation to improving coastal access, nature
conservation and shoreline evolution. It provided recommendations
for future actions and improvements in knowledge relating to
the Marine Bill implementation, sea level rise and shoreline
management in Wales.
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Bahrain national development planning study
Client: SOM Architects
Atkins completed pioneering work towards setting a framework for
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in Bahrain. Particular
attention was focused on coastal demarcation and the delivery
of a framework from which marine spatial planning for Bahrain
can successfully be implemented. From our study, a route map
for delivering sustainable marine management and marine spatial
planning in Bahrain over the next 25 years was created to assist various
Bahrain ministries.

‘Across the region Arabian Gulf countries are
surging ahead to satisfy an appetite for commercial,
residential, tourism and leisure development and a
number of factors make coastal areas the preferred
location for such activity. This work by Atkins
provides Bahrain with a real chance to make the
right decisions for our coast’
Undersecretary at Bahrain’s Ministry of Works,
Nayef Omar Al-Kalali
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Producing the first ever UK stocktaking
exercise on ICZM
Client: Defra
Atkins produced the first ever UK national stocktaking exercise on
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), which analysed the
current framework for managing UK coastal zones and identified
issues of common concern such as the scale of integration.
The findings provide the UK Government with a sound, objective basis
to develop national strategies for implementing the principles of ICZM.
The level of integration and co-ordination in ICZM principles were
assessed. The study found how differently organisations interact with
each other at the coast. The main aspects of the project were:
• Describing the environmental, social and economic
characteristics of the UK’s coastal zone
• Describing the key laws, institutions and stakeholders
• Analysing how these laws, institutions and stakeholders
interact and integrate with each other
• Identifying key gaps, overlaps and inconsistencies in
these interactions
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Evaluating sustainable marine practices in
Negril Marine Park, Jamaica
Client: Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society
Our team evaluated the sustainability of current marine management approaches
being employed at Negril Marine Park. From the evaluation, our team showed how
such practices could be improved to help with the engagement of local business and
stakeholders and to drive forward social and tourism development, fisheries and wider
local economies in the area.
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05
Our experience
Marine environment
regulation and compliance
MARINE PLANNING IN A CROSS BORDER SITUATION –
CONCEPTUAL APPROACH FOR ACHIEVING MARINE
ECOSYSTEM OBJECTIVES
ACTION
Build positive working
relationships
ACTION
Acknowledging and Dealing
with past marine
consenting challenges
OBJECTVE 1
Delivering a Marine
Ecosystem
Approach
OBJECTIVE 2
Contributing to a Shared
Marine Vision
ACTION
Develop a shared vision
of a sustainable marine
environment
ACTION
Develop key
institutional capacities
Marine planning across national borders
Client: Environment Agency, Natural England, Countryside Council for Wales
This project considered the management arrangements required under a proposed new marine planning
and marine management regime. The Dee Estuary was used as a case study to help identify the challenges
of managing marine activities across a national border (between England and Wales). The Atkins project
output was used specifically to assist the clients in responding formally to the UK Government Draft Marine
Bill in April 2008.
21

West Sands protection scheme
Client: Bunn Leisure
Atkins undertook an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a
scheme designed to provide protection from coastal erosion and
flooding for a privately owned holiday village in Selsey, West Sussex.
The EIA included a Habitats Regulations Assessment, Archaeological
Assessment, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment and Public
Safety Risk Assessment.
The results of a numerical modelling study of the scheme helped to
determine potential scheme effects on coastal processes and adjacent
shorelines. The findings of the assessments were submitted as part of
an application for planning permission, marine consents (FEPA/CPA
licence), as well as Environment Agency and Crown Estate consent.
To date, the FEPA/CPA licence and Environment Agency consent have
been awarded. Planning permission and Crown Estate consent are
expected shortly, with a letter of support already received from
Natural England.
22

Assessing the environmental impact of
Blue City Development- Oman
Client: Blue City Company 1
Atkins successfully completed an EIA for Phase 1 of the Blue City
development and continued to assist the client by producing a
detailed Environmental Management Plan (EMP). The Plan covered all
environmental management delivery procedures, ranging from GIS
management to arranging disaster preparedness “drills” in case of
pollution incidents along the Batinah coastline of Oman.
“I consider the Environmental
Management Plan, as one of
the best I have ever read.
Very well thought out.”
Project Director, Blue City
Company
“The potential impacts on the physical and social
environment of a major scheme like Blue City are
significant and have to be closely managed. The
Atkins team has drawn upon their global and local
experience to assist the project team and contribute
to the development of strategies that aim to place
environmental management at the centre of the
design and construction process.”
Blue City Development Project, Oman.
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24
Mapping habitats to guide sustainable
land use in St Lucia
Client: Banana Industry Trust
Our team is working across half of St Lucia’s coastline to help
produce a series of coastal habitat maps (see example inset). As this
data doesn’t currently exist, it will prove invaluable to guide future land
use and planning decisions to ensure development on this popular
tourism island is balanced with habitat conservation. Our work has
involved aerial and GIS tools to help interpret and visualise marine
habitat data for the first time in St Lucia. A series of national training
events were held to educate and inform stakeholders on future
coastal habitat mapping techniques and how decision making can be
improved on the coast through correct use and interpretation of the
habitat maps produced.

“Was very impressed with
the professionalism and
the quality of the work
provided by the team ...
.... very likely to
recommend the Atkins
team to others in
this field.”
Laverne Walker ICZM
Officer and Client.
25

Byelaw powers for the coast
Client: Defra
Atkins produced the first stakeholder led “best practice” document
for Defra on how to manage, implement and enforce coastal byelaws
within the UK Local Government planning framework. Close liaison
with English Tourist Boards, Crown Estate, Defra Integrated Coastal
Management Unit and Coastal SIG was instrumental in successfully
delivering the study. The guidance document is now used extensively
by English local authorities to help plan water based recreational
activities on the coast.
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Guiding the planning process for Barmouth Bay
coastal defence scheme
Client: Haulfryn Summer Homes
Atkins produced a series of environmental and coastal modelling
reports (see example inset) to assist towards the development of a
formal planning application for a new sea defence scheme. A series of
consultation meetings were facilitated to provide strategic long term
advice for a private holiday resort to enable them to plan for sea level
rise. Advice focused on the physical parameters of a potential EIA /
Appropriate Assessment / SEA associated with the Lleyn Peninsula
and Sarnauc SAC designation.
29

06
Our experience
Future beach management
and design
Boosting tourism by helping Aqaba’s beaches
achieve blue flag status
Client: Aqaba Strategic Economic Zone Authority, Jordan
With the aim to make Aqaba a more desirable destination for tourists,
it was found that improving the status of its beaches would bolster
its competitiveness. The Atkins team reviewed the current status
of beaches, designed and adapted a blue flag programme system
for the beaches in Aqaba. The beaches have now been reviewed to
help local agencies apply for full blue flag status, which shall help
to attract tourism and to improve future beach management on
Jordanian beaches.
30

Tel: 01253 658658 www.fylde.gov.uk
www.cmyk.uk.com
Masterplanning the 2nd Asian Beach Games-
Oman 2010
Client: Oman – OMRAN
Atkins is involved in the development of the masterplan for the 2nd
Asian Beach Games to take place in Oman in 2010. The proposed
development was located on an existing beach and included a new
marina protruding through the intertidal zone. We have conducted
studies and developed numerical waves models (see opposite) to
improve understanding of the impact of the new marina structure
on the existing beach. Our work developed solutions to mitigate any
negative impacts and ensure sustainable development.
F Y E 0 1 Lytham
Windmill
THE BEACH AND FORESHORE ARE MULTI-ACTIVITY AREAS
! !
PLEASE ENSURE YOUR OWN SAFETY AND THAT OF OTHER USERS
HAZARDS PROHIBITIONS
Jetty
No shooting
Tides
Marsh/mud
Vehicles
No unauthorised
vehicles
No tipping/
littering
DOGS ON LEADS
No bonfires
or barbecues
No fireworks
No dog fouling
Dogs must be on a lead at all times in the following areas:
Footpaths, Promenades, Car Parks, Lytham Green and Fairhaven Lake
Safersands for Fylde Borough Council
Client: Fylde Borough Council
The pioneering approach of SaferSands (Atkins developed initiative), a beach risk and safety
management procedure, was introduced by Atkins to assist in future beach safety management for
the Lytham St Annes frontage. Our team designed a recreational policy and zoning plan for St Annes
beach and nearshore areas to minimise conflict between beach users and the health and safety risks
associated with these activities. We have continued to work with the client and recently risk assessed
a windsport centre on the beach towards Lytham St Annes.
in this area
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For enquiries, contact the Beach Patrol Officer

“LYP is pleased to have
successfully gained this
consultancy project to
upgrade the facilities at
Trinidad’s premier beach
Maracas against international
competition. Having Atkins on
the consultancy team allows
us to bring world standards
and new techniques to bear
on the project. We hope
that this will develop into a
leader project for other beach
facilities development and
upgrade projects in Trinidad
and Tobago”.
Project Manager,
Lee Young and Partners:
Maracas Beach Facility -
Restoration and Re-Design Action Plan (Trinidad)
Client: Lee Young and Partners, Trinidad
Atkins delivered a SaferSands approach for Maracas Beach in Trinidad.
The needs of local vendors, future job creation, lifeguarding services,
management of beach recreational activities, future zoning, car
park safety and environmental maintenance (including solid waste
management) were all considered to ensure sustainable future
beach management.
Concept drawings of our beach structures, boardwalks
and access paths were developed for wider
stakeholder review and acceptance.
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Bangladesh Natural Disaster
Preparedness Programme
Client: EC Delegation, Dhaka
Atkins designed an implementation plan for a Bangladesh Disaster
Preparedness Programme (BDPP). Tasks involved widespread
consultation with the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management
to identify the needs and constraints in implementing the programme
and the design of a project proposal for a comprehensive,
cost-effective and sustainable intervention in the field of
disaster preparedness.
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Why Atkins,
our clients say...
“the particular choice of staff...”
“very impressed with the
professionalism and the quality
of the work...”
“I consider the environmental
management plan one the
best I have ever read...”
“Atkins provides Bahrain with a
real chance to make the right
decisions for our coast...”
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Jonathan McCue
Atkins
Woodcote Grove
Ashley Road
Epsom
Surrey
KT18 5BW
Tel: +44 (0)1372 726 140
Fax: +44 (0)1372 740 055
jonathan.mccue@atkinsglobal.com
36 www.atkinsglobal.com