These website pages explain the main content and findings of the St. Bees Head to River Sark Shoreline Management Plan (SMP). It explains how to comment on the SMP and who to contact for more information.

The 99 kilometres of coastline covered by the SMP from St. Bees Head to the Scottish Border includes important sand dune systems between Maryport and Silloth, raised mire peat land in the inner Solway and red sandstone cliffs at St. Bees Head. Settlements include the popular tourist resorts of Whitehaven, Silloth and Allonby Village, the commercial harbour port of Workington, Maryport historic town and smaller residential villages. The Solway Estuary is an important site for breeding wildfowl and supports one of the largest migrating bird populations in Britain.

The beaches, dunes and estuary channels of the Solway Firth are constantly changing. Many factors contribute to this change - principally wind, tides and currents.

The Solway Firth is fed by sediment from the Irish Sea and its tributary rivers, and this periodically affects the positions of offshore sandbanks and channels. Along the north Cumbrian coast, sediment drifts north-east from St. Bees Head, driven by the predominant wind. At Cardurnock, where sea and river-borne sediments from the Eden, Esk and Sark meet, there has been a significant build up of saltmarsh over the past 130 years.

Natural beaches and sand dunes are important coastal defences because they absorb wave energy. Following a damaging storm, dunes often rebuild naturally over a period of months, replenished by wind-blown sand. In an appropriate location they can negate the need for artificial defences. The dune systems within the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are proactively managed to enhance their coastal defence, wildlife habitat, and leisure amenity value.

It is not always possible to protect land using natural defences and in several areas artificial defences are necessary to protect low lying or erosion prone settlements. The SMP identifies flood risk areas and describes the existing coastal defences including their condition and any work needed to maintain or upgrade them. It also highlights work recommended to provide defence where none presently exists.

The information and data on which the SMP is based is described in the Stage 1 documents. The SMP divides the shoreline into a series of 18 'Management Units' and sets out options for future coastal defence in each Unit. For some Units the recommended option may be 'Do Nothing', where no immediate action other than observe, monitor and review is carried out. In most Units the recommended option is 'Hold the Line', which means to maintain, improve or rebuild the existing defences. The map in this leaflet shows the recommendations for the next five years. The SMP looks forward over the next fifty years and takes account of the possible effects of climate change and sea level rise. The SMP builds on our knowledge and understanding of the coastline.

The final recommendations for this first St. Bees Head to River Sark SMP will be published during 1999 following the completion of the public consultation exercise. The comments received from consultation have assisted in shaping the final recommendations. It is anticipated that the partner Local Authorities will adopt the SMP in late 1999. Its recommendations will be implemented over the next five years. The SMP is a living document that will be continuously reviewed and formally updated at regular five yearly intervals.

If you would like to comment on the St. Bees Head to River Sark SMP or see the documents, please contact coast.protection@allerdale.gov.uk at Allerdale Borough Council. Your comments are important and will be taken into account during the next SMP review period.