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Development

Environmental considerations for coastal development

Developments below the high water mark can have a profound effect on the dynamic marine environment which can then have a knock – on effect on other aspects of the environment. Ultimately this can even have repercussions on other users including the ability of the port to operate effectively with open navigational channels.

Some impacts include:

Physical loss of habitat area from built structures such as slipways, land claim.
Fragmentation of habitats where built structures divide the shore into smaller, less sustainable units.
Disturbance to wintering birds through interference, noise.
Obstruction to natural currents (hydrodynamics) by built structures such as slipways, walls. This can go onto cause erosion of key habitats such as saltmarshes and reedbeds.
Disturbance to species protected under European law.
Disturbance to the sediment and subsequent re-mobilisation of locked in contaminants.
Alteration to the hydrodynamics by placement of pilings resulting in changes to sediment movement.

Careful design can minimise these impacts and further information is given below along with different licenses and permissions required.