Integrated Parallel Action Planning in Taking Forward Coastal Management

This paper considers the role of the Shoreline Management Plans in future management of the coast. The original and primary role of the SMP was to identify risk from flooding and coastal erosion, establishing polices for managing this risk. The paper argues that through the process of developing the SMPs that role has changed significantly. The plan gives an understanding of processes and identifies demands, opportunities, tasks and responsibilities. It explains what can be done in the present, it identifies uncertainties that will need to be addressed but, essentially, it raises questions about the future. These are issues that need to be communicated to planners and to communities and to all with an interest and stake in the coast. The paper examines this by way of examples from the West of Wales SMP2, considering the role of the engineer, the coastal manager, the planning authorities and the people who live and work on the coast. The paper concludes that while SMPs have taken a major step forward in looking at sustainable management of risk at the coast, in doing so, they have brought into sharp focus that the aspects for management go well beyond the management of flood and coastal erosion risk. This moves towards a parallel process of decision making, which, rather than being overly prescriptive in its way forward, must be responsive to emerging ideas. Change takes time, but changing attitudes needs to start now.