The Environment Agency has today confirmed its commitment to the Lower Otter Restoration Project while applications for funding grants are made.

This assurance means that work to manage the estuary can press ahead and avoid delays on delivering the £8-9 million scheme.

Ben Johnstone, Environment Agency flood risk manager, said:

We are completely committed to the Lower Otter Restoration Project and, together with our partners, want to drive forward our work to create multiple benefits for people and wildlife.

Following public consultation the project team has selected the best option for the Lower Otter, which will include restoring the Big and Little Marsh floodplain. Most of the existing embankments will be kept with breaches to allow water to flow through. It will also create new intertidal and freshwater habitats with no increase in height to current water levels and flood risk.

The partnership scheme will provide new and improved access and amenities including maintaining the South West Coast Path and relocating the Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club. It will also protect the old municipal tip in the flood plain and deliver compensatory habitat for the construction and maintenance of flood defences in the Exe Estuary such as Starcross, Cockwood and Exmouth.

Dr Sam Bridgewater from the Lower Otter Restoration Project team said:

This is great news from one of the key project partners. We can now seek the necessary consents and permissions from a variety of authorities, so that we are ready to start work on the ground as soon as possible once funding is confirmed.

A public exhibition on the Lower Otter Restoration Project will be held later this year – details to follow.

New build nuclear power stations in the UK will require large-volume intakes of cooling waters from estuarine or coastal sites, and this report identifies information on techniques and systems to reduce the impact of such intakes on marine and estuarine biota (fish, crustacea, larval forms, plants and microscopic organisms). Available sources of information on the effectiveness and applicability of various biota protection methods are provided and summarised.

There are various engineering methods that may reduce the impact to biota, particularly fish, of large water intakes. Some engineering technologies and operational methods are well established, but others are new, with less information on their effectiveness in different situations.

This scoping report identifies the main sources of information available, and will form a resource for regulatory staff and other interested parties. It is intended as an initial phase of a full review into some or all of these techniques for biota protection in cooling water intakes. Information on biota protection measures from cooling water intakes at existing nuclear and conventional power stations and other large volume water intakes has been included where relevant. The information summarised in this report could have relevance to other large scale water intakes such as tidal hydropower.

On 3 August 2018, the Broads Authority made a formal application to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) under section 14 of the Harbours Act 1964 for a Harbour Revision Order (HRO).

The proposed order is consequent upon the proposed Port of Lowestoft (Transfer of Mutford Lock) Harbour Revision Order 2018, which is applied for at the same time as this Order and would provide for the transfer of Mutford Lock and adjoining land held with Mutford Lock from Associated British Ports to the Broads Authority.

This Order would provide for Mutford Lock to become part of the navigation area within the jurisdiction of the Broads Authority and therefore for the Broads Authority to become the harbour authority for Mutford Lock.
The application is undergoing a 42 day public consultation, starting on 3 August 2018. The deadline for submitting comments is 14 September 2018. For further information on the consultation process, please review the advertisement notice.

If you would like to make a representation please do so in writing via the harbourorders@marinemanagement.org.uk inbox. Representations should quote reference DC10143.

On 3 August 2018, Associated British Ports (ABP) made a formal application to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) under section 14 of the Harbours Act 1964 for a Harbour Revision Order (HRO).

The proposed HRO relates to concurrent applications by Associated British Ports and the Broads Authority for Harbour Revision Orders in order to effect in law the transfer of jurisdiction for, and ownership of, a lock at Lowestoft from Associated British Ports to the Broads Authority. The lock to be transferred is Mutford Lock.

This Order is required to remove ownership of Mutford Lock and adjoining land, together with associated rights and liabilities and statutory responsibilities under local legislation from ABP and to remove Mutford Lock from the jurisdiction of ABP.

The application is undergoing a 42 day public consultation, starting on 3 August 2018. The deadline for submitting comments is 14 September 2018. For further information on the consultation process, please review the advertisement notice.

If you would like to make a representation please do so in writing via the harbourorders@marinemanagement.org.uk inbox. Representations should quote reference DC10069.