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. 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 and walls. This can go onto cause erosion of key habitats such as saltmarshes and reedbeds.
• Disturbance to species protected under European law.

The most common concerns and issues are raised through the planning process and relate to disturbance of the sediment during construction and the subsequent re-mobilisation of any contaminants locked within this sediment.

Placement of pilings can also alter the hydrodynamics, resulting in changes to sediment movement.