Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management - Responsibilities

Flood and Coastal Defence Policy Statement - Havant Council's Flood and Coastal Defence Policy Statement guides our coast and drainage activities  

Coastal Responsibilities         

Coast Protection / Flood Defence (Responsibilities)

Coastal Responsibilities

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has overall policy responsibility for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England
• Environment Agency has the Strategic Overview for all forms of flooding & coastal erosion
• Frontagers are responsible for their own frontage
• Coast Protection Authorities will only act when it is in the wider public interest

>>Click here for an explained diagram on who's responsible for what (PDF 552KB) <<

Coast Protection / Flood Defence (Responsibilities)

Land owners (Frontagers) are always responsible for protecting their own property from flooding and coastal erosion but they must act within the applicable legal and planning framework.

The Coastal Protection Authorities of Havant Borough Council, Portsmouth City Council and Gosport Borough Council and the Environment Agency in their Strategic Overview role have permissive powers and responsibilities under the following Acts:

• Coast Protection Act 1949
• Land Drainage Act 1991
• Water Resources Act 1991

These permissive powers and responsibilities to act do not imply a duty to prevent erosion or flooding.

Flood Defence. Environment Agency. Low lying areas susceptible to flooding.           Coast Protection. Local Authority. Cliffs and high land susceptible to erosion.

In general Coastal Protection Authorities and the Environment Agency will only act in the public interest where there is;

• a clear economic benefit,
• an appropriate engineering solution can be achieved and;
• no contravention of environmental legislation.