Shoreline Management Plans and local development planning
Local Planning Authorities can use Shoreline Management Plans to guide where they plan and permit development, including the designation of Coastal Change Management Areas (CCMAs). SMP Explorer provides the latest information on the short- to long-term management direction for the coast that can be used to inform planning decisions.
The Planning Practice Guidance to the National Planning Policy Framework gives a central role for SMPs in setting out the evidence base for local planning decisions at the coast. This includes how to designate a CCMAs and design policies that will support appropriate development, prevent inappropriate development and enable relocation if necessary. It also sets out the role of the Environment Agency and local planning authority in permitting development. Planning permission decisions should take full consideration of the direction of management set out in the SMP throughout the anticipated lifetime of the proposed development (e.g. a minimum of a hundred years for residential development).
SMPs divide the coast up into units. Using local evidence, a generic management approach is decided for each unit. Work to realise the intended management approach depends upon appropriate approvals such as planning permission and environmental assessments, as well as the availability of funding from government or others. Local Planning Authorities should consider evidence of how delivery of the management approach may be secured when deciding whether to designate a CCMA in a local plan or grant planning permission for a development. An intention to ‘Hold the Line’ in the SMP does not guarantee it will happen.
If, after considering these assessments, the Local Planning Authority decides it is acceptable to allow development in areas at risk, and defences or improvements are necessary, they will need to have discussions with developers about funding for any defences required for that development. Government funding is targeted to reduce the flood and coastal risks posed to existing homes and businesses.
SMP management approaches and their use in planning
SMP management approaches, or 'policies', set out to manage risk on a particular stretch of shoreline, may change over the lifespan of the SMP. Many are likely to transition from one approach to another in the 2020s, 2030s or 2040s as sea levels rise and more sustainable approaches are needed. This can often mean a change from defending the shoreline using structural interventions like sea walls to moving the shoreline back to a more sustainable alignment. These changes should be captured in the local plan, which needs to balance regeneration and community needs with avoiding development that will make adaptation to change harder in the future. Approaches to planning adaptation are being explored through a series of pilots and programmes with a range of authorities and organisations involved. You can find out about these using the link below.
Environment Agency online community engagement
The SMP management approach is especially important for development planning decisions and the provisions within local development documents. For example, a 'Hold the Line' approach may have various conditions and dependencies, and the Local Planning Authority should not always assume that development will be safe or appropriate. The way ‘Hold the Line’ is to be interpreted may strongly influence planning conditions or the design of a CCMA.
To help understand the different management approaches more clearly, definitions are provided below. New Supplementary Guidance developed in 2020 to refresh the SMPs added extra sub-categories to these definitions to help make the generic approach chosen clearer but still concise. The definitions of these are also provided below.
Hold the Line (HL)
Maintain or upgrade protection from flooding or erosion by holding the shoreline in broadly the same position.
Whether this involves maintaining or improving the current standard of protection from flooding or the protection afforded from erosion needs checking locally. Defences may be well-maintained but without further modification may provide a reduced standard of protection as sea levels rise. There may be a need to adjust the local alignment or footprint of a defence to maintain or strengthen it. Secondary lines of defence may need to be added. An overall approach of Hold the Line for a particular unit of coast does not necessarily mean the entire length of that unit will be protected.
In some cases, it is more appropriate to consider the defence line as a zone of defences protecting assets, particularly in those situations where there is a series of structures (such as seawalls and railway embankments) and landforms (such as beaches and dunes) which together provide coastal defence. Adding new components to this series of defences should generally be viewed as improving the defence (HL1), rather than moving the shoreline.
HL1 -- Maintain/Replace
Where protection is currently provided by coastal defence structures or managed beaches, and the intention is to retain a defence along approximately the current alignment. This will involve replacing defences when needed. Defence type, method and standard of protection may be modified over time.
HL2 -- New Defences
Where there is little or no protection currently, and the intention is for new defences to be introduced, if funding allows. Introduction of new defences may follow a period of Managed Realignment or No Active Intervention.
HL3 -- Repair not Replace
Where protection is currently provided by coastal defence structures that might be maintained or repaired if funding allows, but not replaced if they fail or reach the end of their design life.
HL4 -- Temporary Intervention
Where non-permanent or short-term measures to reduce flood or erosion risk might be permitted while transition measures or response plans are being established.
HL5 -- Natural Features
Where the intention is to maintain the flood or erosion risk management performance of a natural feature such as dune system, spit, or shingle barrier. This does not always mean fixing its position. The approach might involve active management of the feature or its surroundings to increase its width, length, height, or resilience. It does not involve building structures on or behind the natural feature.
HL6 -- Local Activity Only
Where the overall intention is for a natural shoreline, not to encourage new defences. In some areas, where specified in the Shoreline Management Plan, works to repair or construct short stretches of defence to provide localised protection (such as to a slipway, access point or isolated properties) may be considered by the Local Planning Authority. All works require relevant permissions.
No Active Intervention
Maintain or encourage a more natural coastline. This may involve discussing adaptation to the risk from flooding or erosion
This may be driven by a need to maintain or improve the natural addition of sediment to beaches and dunes locally, or to encourage movement of sediment along the coastline, where this is important for managing risk in locations elsewhere. No Active Intervention may be agreed where the chances of the government or other parties funding defence from flood or erosion are low. Alternatively, it may be necessary to avoid damage to sites legally protected for their geological, landscape or biodiversity value.
NI1 -- No Need to Defend
Where there are no or few buildings, protected sites or other assets at risk and no defences are present. There is no requirement or intention to introduce defences.
NI2 -- Do Not Defend
Where no defences are present, and it would be technically, economically, or environmentally unsustainable to introduce defences due to their impact on other communities, or on sites protected for their environmental importance.
NI3 -- Cease to Maintain
Where defences are present, but it would be technically, economically, or environmentally unsustainable to maintain them.
NI4 -- Local Activity Only
Where the overall intention is for a natural shoreline, not to encourage new defences. In some areas, where specified in the Shoreline Management Plan, works to repair or construct short stretches of defence to provide localised protection (such as to a slipway, access point or isolated properties) may be considered by the Local Planning Authority. All works require relevant permissions.
NI5 -- Remove defences
Where defences are present, and the intention is to remove them if funding allows to allow flooding to higher ground or to allow erosion.
Managed Realignment (MR)
Change the position of the shoreline in a controlled way, such as by slowing erosion or creating areas of habitat to help manage flooding
This may involve management to control or limit movement of the shoreline, such as by taking measures to reduce and slow erosion or building new defences further behind the current shoreline. These measures can also bring significant benefits for wildlife and people.
MR1 -- Set Back Defence
Where the intention is to defend elsewhere in the flood plain inland from present shoreline or allow erosion/recession to a defined alignment. New defences might be constructed at that new location if needed. This may involve the creation of inter-tidal habitat.
MR2 -- Slow erosion
Where measures might be introduced or permitted that slow, not stop, erosion of cliffs or other features at the back of the shoreline.
MR3 -- Remove defences
Where defences are present, and the intention is to remove them to allow flooding to higher ground or to allow erosion.
MR4 -- Natural Features
Where the intention is to maintain the flood or erosion risk management performance of a natural feature such as dune system, spit, or shingle barrier. This does not always mean fixing its position. The approach might involve active management of the feature or its surroundings to increase its width, length, height, or resilience. It does not involve building structures on or behind the natural feature.
MR5 -- Repair not Replace
Where protection is currently provided by coastal defence structures that might be maintained or repaired if funding allows, but not replaced if they fail or reach the end of their design life.
MR6 -- Local Activity Only
Where the overall intention is for a natural shoreline, not to encourage new defences. In some areas, where specified in the Shoreline Management Plan, works to repair or construct short stretches of defence to provide localised protection (such as to a slipway, access point or isolated properties) may be considered by the Local Planning Authority. All works require relevant permissions.
MR7 -- Placeholder
Managed realignment or defence activity may apply only to parts of this shoreline. The approach in this location may be especially dependent upon the outcome of further studies, economic assessments, the rate of coastal change or the actions of other asset owners affected by coastal change. As these become clearer, the management intention will be clarified.
Advance the Line
Actively move shoreline defences significantly seawards
Using this should be limited to those units where significant land reclamation is considered, or where changing the footprint of major infrastructure such as a port is involved.
Further information
You can find out more about coastal erosion and flood risk in a particular area by visiting the sites below. All of this information is being comprehensively updated in 2024, and new coastal flood and erosion risk will be shown on this site when these updates are complete.
Check coastal erosion management in your area – this site will be replaced in summer 2024