Picturesque valley to be allowed to be flooded as defences surrendered

Current flood defences are not high enough to cope with sea level rises at the Cuckmere Estuary in East Sussex and each year the agency spends tens of thousands of pounds removing shingle from the mouth of the river.

Now it has decided to allow the sea to reclaim the popular landmark in a move that will see the valley return to the tidal floodplain it was back in the 1840s.

Campaigners said they are pressing for a more managed approach and that allowing the area to flood would harm wildlife, footpaths and parts of the local beach.

But the Environment Agency said that climate change, sea level rises and past interference by man have put the Cuckmere Estuary under increasing pressure.

Its area manager for Kent and East Sussex, Andrew Pearce, said: "Climate change is presenting us with many challenges and the way we manage flood risk here has to change.

"Restoring the Cuckmere Estuary to a tidal floodplain will allow the area to adapt to climate change and will bring with it great opportunities and benefits for visitors and wildlife."

The agency spends up to £50,000 of flood risk management money removing shingle from the river mouth to enable the river to flow out to sea and cut the risk of flooding upstream.

more from the Daily Telegraph (UK)