Shoreline Management Plan
Rame Head to Hartland Point SMP17
General actions for this SMP
This shows the actions generic to the whole of this SMP. For further actions relating to specific locations, select an area on the map above or use the postcode/location search and click on the Action Plan tab.
All actions are subject to funding and approval, often by other parties than the Lead Organisation shown.
| Reference Number | Action Description | Action Lead Organisation | Action Progress Status | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.180 | Develop localised adaptation strategies for locations within the SMP where a transition from one management approach to another will or may be needed, reflecting locally agreed options and triggers for intervention. Undertake a scoping exercise on how to approach development of adaptation pathways and defining trigger levels (including visual representation of these) for decision points. Select a few pilot sites to trial on before applying SMP wide. | Environment Agency | Progressing | High |
| 17.183 | Undertake regular assessment of all locally important road routes at risk from erosion and/or flooding to establish viability of realignment or defence, identify priority routes. Individual action plans for specific road sections should then be developed. | Cornwall Council | Not yet started | High |
| 17.185 | Establish and maintain an SMP Group within the South West Coastal Group to monitor, report and co-ordinate implementation of SMP actions and management approaches, review and manage changes to the SMP, and promote the SMP in investment programmes and local development planning. | CISCAG | Progressing | High |
| 17.199 | Establish on-going support and funding for the South estCoastal Group, and the new Planning sub-group. The broader Coastal Group has a major role in supporting and steering on-going monitoring, overseeing SMP progress and disseminating approaches. The role of this group is for discussion and disseminating information and co-ordinating approaches across the SMPs in the Coastal Group area. | CISCAG | Not yet started | High |
| 17.205 | Update projections of habitat change using evidence from the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme and local studies with reference to the latest sea level rise projections to inform the Habitat Compensation and Restoration Programme. | Environment Agency | Not yet started | High |
| 17.205.01 | Identify potential opportunities for statutory habitat compensation and take forward through the regional Habitat Compensation and Restoration Programme in discussion with the local Programme Lead. | Environment Agency | Not yet started | High |
| 17.188 | Develop a Strategic Communication and Engagement Plan for SMP area to include tailored engagement with: 1. elected members of local councils and Regional Flood and Coastal Communities to ensure they are aware of and understand the management approaches agreed in the SMP, and the opportunities and implications for their local area. 2. major landowners, infrastructure providers and regulatory bodies closely involved in the SMP decision and delivery process to review long term implications of their management decisions.3. communities to help them understand the SMP's role in decision-making and funding/support approaches, how that relates to other policies and action plans, and how they can be involved in setting priorities and contributing to outcomes sought. The results of cliff monitoring data captured as part of the South West Coastal Monitoring Programme with the community and better communicate the justification behind the management intent in the SMP. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.189 | Define review process, including policy implementation and maintaining the Action Plan, with consideration being given to how the future SMP Management Group works within the oversight of the Southwest Coastal Group. Consideration should be given to appointing an ‘SMP coordinator’ to facilitate collaboration between the many different Local Authorities that this SMP covers. Resource to be identified to undertake for whole SMP. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.190.01 | Undertake an annual review and update of the SMP Action Plan to ensure SMPmanagement approaches are put into practice and recording a full list of studies and activities undertaken that reflect that implementation. It should also allow for considering impacts upon the plan of changes in policy or new guidance, or the emergence of new data. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.192.01 | Ensure South West Water (and where relevant, other utility providers) are engaged in future discussions on management approaches in the SMP. | CISCAG | Progressing | Medium-high |
| 17.192.02 | Clarify in SMP documents broadly the approach to access to the shoreline in respect of SMP management approaches | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.195 | Secure funding and capacity for ongoing implementation of the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme, ensuring its design continues to capture information required to inform management of key areas of risk or uncertainty within the SMP. Clarify the role of the South West Coastal Monitoring Programme, local authorities and the Environment Agency in terms of data collection, analysis and dissemination and review the Programme annually. | Plymouth Coastal Observatory | Medium-high | |
| 17.197 | Review outcomes of Strategies and Studies (including those already completed) in the context of broader shoreline management approach, feeding back into on-going policy level decisions and updating the SMP as appropriate. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.198.01 | Support and develop the Sustainable Coastal Communities initiative, adapting this process as necessary to address issues raised in the SMP Refresh and the Mid Term Review. Incorporate, within this, longer term dissemination of monitoring data as identified by the SMP. The aim is to embed the guidance of the SMP within community planning, raising awareness and improving understanding of SMP issues to allow well informed community involvement in decision making for those locations covered by the project. | Environment Agency | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.200 | Ensure that local and regional development planning documents take account of SMP policies and flood erosion risks, including the designation of Coastal Change Management Areas where potential, predicted or residual risk from flood, landslip or erosion requires consideration in development consents and future planning. This should consider definition of CCMAs in line with NPPG and Cornwall Council's Climate Change Development Plan Document (DPD), working with communities as they also develop Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs) and future review of the Cornwall Council Local Plan. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.201.01 | Identify potential areas of habitat creation and restoration that could be delivered through Local Nature Recovery Strategies, for Biodiversity Net Gain from development planning, and other initiatives, and align these with the Habitat Compensation and Restoration Programme. | Cornwall Council | Medium-high | |
| 17.202 | Update the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the SMP to ensure it reflects any changes made to the Plan’s management intent or impacts of existing management intent on Highly Protected Marine Areas, Marine Conservation Zones and SSSIs. | Environment Agency | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.203 | Carry out a strategic-level review to ensure the SMP reflects the opportunities to meet objectives set out in the River Basin Management Plan coving the SMP’s Transitional and Coastal Waters. | Environment Agency | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.204 | Carry out a strategic-level review of the Habitats Regulations Assessment of the SMP to ensure it reflects any changes made to the Plan’s management intent or impacts of existing management intent on newly designated protected European Sites. | Natural England | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.208 | Secure funding and capacity for ongoing implementation of the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme, ensuring its design continues to capture information required to inform management of key areas of risk or uncertainty within the SMP. Support continued use and development of the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme Asset Registers, to ensure that regular defence inspection, including assessment of condition and photographic recording, is undertaken and that defence crest levels are confirmed by providing evidence on use and value of this data to the business case for the next round of programme funding before the current phase completes in 2027. This will compliment the ongoing day-to-day asset inspection regimes undertaken by the Environment Agency using their AIMS tool and other Local Authority asset management systems. | Plymouth Coastal Observatory | Progressing | Medium-high |
| 17.209 | Develop a a Devon and Cornwall Coastal Flood Risk Modelling project to improve flood risk information with inclusion of wave action, to update flood zones but also to understand future risk due to sea level rise | Environment Agency | Progressing | Medium-high |
| 17.211 | Carry out a study into sedimentation, shoreline movement, habitat extent and coastal squeeze arising from defences in the estuaries of the SMP area. Update projections of habitat change using evidence from the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme and local studies with reference to the latest sea level rise projections to inform the Habitat Compensation and Restoration Programme. | Environment Agency | Progressing | Medium-high |
| 17.212 | Undertake South West Regional Sediment Transport Study to improve understanding of sediment transport pathways and budgets | Teignbridge District Council | Progressing | Medium-high |
| 17.216 | Undertake a screening exercise using the SMP Health Check Report, Action Plan and Status Tracker to identify which policy units need either (a) to undergo full SMP policy review, (b) to be amended to clarify adopted policy intent, of (c) require no new consideration at this time. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.216.01 | Based on outcome of the above SMP Policy Review Screening, develop a scope and secure funding to deliver an SMP17-wide review of policy units that require full SMP policy review. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.216.02 | Based on outcome of the above SMP Policy Review Screening, establish Task & Finish Groups of key members of the SMP Management Group and any other relevant stakeholders, to discuss statements of management approach that require amendments to clarify the adopted SMP intent (not full management approach review). | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.216.03 | Use data from Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme and local studies to inform improvements to Environment Agency flood and erosion risk data to support published projections of risk that inform SMP management approaches. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.216.04 | Develop, monitor and review emergency response plans to prepare for extreme events that exceed designed standards of protection. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.216.05 | Maintain links between SMP activities and emergency response plans to help prepare for extreme events, promote awareness of the Flood Warning Service and ensure clarity over roles and responsibilities in response and recovery. | CISCAG | Not yet started | Medium-high |
| 17.181 | Digitise and orthorectify 1947 aerial photographs held by Cornwall Council to provide long term cliff recession data. | Plymouth Coastal Observatory | Progressing | Medium |
| 17.184 | Undertake regular assessment of the Coast Path around the SMP coast to identify priority sections at risk, informed by ongoing cliff monitoring. Develop a Coast Path Strategy to establish re-routing options based on the evidence. | TBC | Progressing | Medium |
| 17.196 | Use Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme data and local studies to identify the character and timing of key triggers for intervention in areas of the SMP where a transition from one management approach to another will or may be needed. | Plymouth Coastal Observatory | Not yet started | Medium |
| 17.179 | Quantify wave action, wave-set up, wave run-up and wind set-up risks along the South West coast. Assess and justify wave monitoring network, determine wave risk assessment tool and assess number of properties at risk. Revise Flood Map and use this study to inform the Local Development Framework. | Environment Agency | Progressing | Medium-low |
| 17.182 | Undertake assessment of harbour breakwater structures to establish sea defence and coast protection roles of breakwaters and other harbour structures. Individual action plans or maintenance programmes established from primary sites. | Environment Agency | Complete | |
| 17.198 | Sustainable Coastal Communities project – carry out initial assessments | Environment Agency | Complete | |
| 17.206 | Develop Cornwalll Beach & Dune Management Strategy and Site Specific Plans | Cornwall Council | Complete | |
| 17.213 | Undertake a Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment for Cornwall's historic environment | Historic England | Complete |
Download SMP documents
The information on this website represents the current SMP management approaches adopted by the local authorities within its area, and current actions needed to deliver them. These management approaches have been approved by the Environment Agency under its Strategic Overview for coastal flood and erosion risk management and are considered to be local policy.
The documents below provide the full SMP adopted locally and approved by the Environment Agency at the time of publication. Some of the information has changed in response to new government policy, new evidence or new work identified.
Data on this page
Main report
- Chapter 1 - Introduction
- Chapter 2 - Environmental Assessment
- Chapter 3 - Basis for the Plan
Chapter 4 - Management Units:
- Introduction to the management units
- PDZ1 - Pencarrow Head to Gribbin Head - Introduction
- MA1 - Rame Head to Downderry
- MA2 - Downderry and Seaton
- MA3 - Seaton to Pencarrow Head
- PDZ2 - Pencarrow Head to Gribbin Head - Introduction
- MA4 - Pencarrow Head to Gribbin Head
- MA5 - Fowey Estuary (above Mixtow) inc tributaries
- PDZ3 - Gribbin Head to Black Head - Introduction
- MA6 - Gribbin Head to Par Docks
- MA7 - Par Docks to Black Head
- PDZ4 - Black Head to Zone Point - Introduction
- MA8 - Black Head to Dodman Point
- MA9 - Veryan Bay
- MA10 - Gerrans Bay
- PDZ5 - Zone Point to Nare Point - Introduction
- MA11 - Lower Fal
- MA12 - Upper Fal
- MA13 - Pendennis Point to Rosemullion Head
- MA14 - Helford
- PDZ6 - Lizard (Nare Point to Baulk Head - Gunwalloe) - Introduction
- MA15 - Lizard East (Nare Point to Lizard Point)
- MA16 - Lizard West (Lizard Point to Baulk Head)
- PDZ7 - Mounts Bay East (Baulk Head (Gunwalloe) to Marazion) - Introduction
- MA17 - Baulk Head to Trewavas Head
- MA18 - Trewavas Head to The Greeb
- PDZ8 - Mounts Bay West (The Greeb to Point Spaniard (Inc Marazion and St Michael’s Mount - Introduction
- MA19 - Marazion to Longrock
- MA20 - Longrock to Penzance
- MA21 - Penzance and Newlyn (Albert Pier to Sandy Cove)
- MA22 - Mousehole (Sandy Cove breakwater - Point Spaniard)
- PDZ9 - Penwith Peninsula (Point Spaniard to Clodgy Point) - Introduction
- MA23 - Point Spaniard to Land’s End
- MA24 - Land’s End to Clodgy Point (St Ives)
- PDZ10 - Clodgy Point to Godrevy Point - Introduction
- MA25 - Clodgy Point to Porthminster Point
- MA26 - Porthminster Point to Hayle Estuary
- MA27 - Hayle Estuary
- MA28 - Black Cliff to Godrevy Point
- PDZ11 - North Cliffs (Godrevy Point - Pentire Point West) Introduction
- MA29 - Godrevy Point to St Agnes Head
- MA30 - St Agnes Head to Pentire Point West
- PDZ12 - Newquay (Pentire Point West - Trevelgue Head) Introduction
- MA31 - Fistral Bay and Crantock
- MA32 - Newquay Bay
- PDZ13 - Trevelgue Head to Stepper Point - Introduction
- MA33 - Trevelgue Head to Trevose Head
- MA34 - Trevose Head to Stepper Point
- PDZ14 - Camel Estuary (Stepper Point to Pentire Point) - Introduction
- MA35 - Camel Estuary (Stepper Point to Trebetherick Point)
- MA36 - Trebetherick Point to Pentire Point
- PDZ15 - Pentire Point to Wanson Mouth - Introduction
- MA37 - Pentire Point to Boscastle
- MA38 - Boscastle to Wanson Mouth
- PDZ16 - Widemouth & Bude (Wanson Mouth to Lower Sharpnose Point) - Introduction
- MA39 - Wanson Mouth to Higher Longbeak
- MA40 - Higher Longbeak to Lower Sharpnose Point
- PDZ17 - Lower Sharpnose Point to Hartland Point - Introduction
- MA41 - Lower Sharpnose Point to Hartland Point
- PDZ18 - Isles of Scilly - Introduction
- MA42 - St Mary’s
- MA43 - St Martin’s
- MA44 - Tresco
- MA45 - Bryher
- MA46 - St Agnes and Gugh
Chapter 5 – Summary of Preferred Plan Introduction:
- Chapter 6 - Action plan
- Glossary
- Acknowledgements
Appendices
- Appendix A – SMP Development
- Appendix B – Stakeholder Engagement
- Appendix C - Baseline
- Appendix D – Theme Review Final Report
- Appendix E – Issues and Objectives
Appendix F - SEA:
- Appendix G – Scenario Testing
Appendix H - Economic Appraisal:
Appendix I - HRA:
- Appendix A Cornwall And Ios Smp2 Appropriate Assessment 1
- Appendix B Sssi Condition Tables
- Appendix D Hr01
- Appendix E Hr02
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz10 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz11 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz12 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz13 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz14 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz16 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz18 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz1 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz2 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz3 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz4 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz5 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz6 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz7 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz8 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Hra Appendix C1 Pdz9 Assessment Tablesv2 Submitted
- Appendix J - Water framework Assessment
- Appendix K - GIS Data
- Appendix L - Adoption
About this SMP
This Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) covers the coastline of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It also includes a short section of the North Devon coast to Hartland Point. It excludes the section of Cornwall’s coast to the east of Rame Head, within Plymouth Sound and the Tamar Estuary. Please see SMP 16 for the shoreline management policies which apply in these area.
You can read the full SMP document by selecting the Download tab. This SMP was completed in 2011 and received formal adoption and sign off from relevant local authorities and the Environment Agency.
Managing shorelines in this area
The SMP for this area presents agreed approaches to managing the risk of coastal flooding and erosion at the shoreline and in estuaries over the short, medium, and long term, considering the implications of climate change.
In some locations, the approaches set out in the SMP change over time, for example from holding the current shoreline position with defences to realigning it or allowing the coast to change more naturally.
The SMP shows where this may affect people, property or the natural environment and the action plan includes measures to manage the local effects of coastal change. Local development planning can then be used to help avoid or address these effects, for example by identifying where new or relocated buildings can be built and defining any conditions to promote safety or sustainability. More localised Coastal Strategies may also be developed to identify how the approach in the SMP should be funded and implemented in more detail. You can find these under the Related Links tab for the SMP.
The objectives of the SMP can be found in the national SMP Guidance document (Volume 1, section 2.1). In summary, they are to identify preferred approaches for:
- managing flood and erosion risk to existing properties and other assets
- identifying approaches that are economically, technically and environmentally sustainable
- protecting and enhancing the natural features and character of the coast through these approaches where possible
Managing inland flood risk
To find out more about managing future flood risk inland, see the Flood Risk Management Plan.
Developing this SMP
The group that developed and agreed this SMP included:
- Cornwall Council
- Council of the Isles of Scilly
- Environment Agency
- Natural England
- National Trust
The group consulted the public and engaged with a range of stakeholders interested in the area’s coastal management while developing this SMP. The SMP was approved by the Environment Agency and formally adopted by each local authority. You can find further details of how the group developed the SMP in Appendix B of the document. This can be found by selecting the Download tab.