There are two options for the future of Seaford Flood defence- the first is to continue with the existing “shingle- re-alignment” strategy of the last 20 years, in which case at some stage fairly soon a massive re-importation of shingle will surely be required, in order just to maintain the existing level of flood defence, at great cost in both monetary terms AND environmentally.
Ever more frequent “shingle re-alignment” visits will also be necessary with this option resulting in ever greater beach and marine eco system degradation and of course year on year cost.  This will also not rejuvenate Seaford’s seafront environment, it will continue to undermine it- this option, to continue with the strategy of the last 20 years continues to be the EA’s intention.
The other option is to seek another approach that is SELF-SUSTAINING (that is once in place will require little, if any, year on year maintenance) is ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND (that is not just negates the environmental damage of the existing scheme but actually reverses it), will rejuvenate Seaford’s beach front as a true all year round community asset AND LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANT of all – IMPROVES UPON OR STRENGTHENS THE EXISTING LEVEL OF FLOOD DEFENCE for Seaford compared to the existing strategy.
The artist’s impression, produced by a young local artist - Mr David Thomas (e.mail david@davidleethomas.com)– shows Seaford Bay with an area of enclosed, calmed water stretching from the Buckle in the west to Splash point in the East which is the entire length of seafront of the inhabited part of Seaford, a distance of approximately 2200 metres, or 1 1/3 miles.
Calming the sea, or dissipating the energy of the waves, before beach impact will achieve 2 major things in terms of the PRIMARY AIM of flood defence;
a) No longer will the beach erode, move or be lost to the sea, as we have seen is the case with the existing strategy – the barrier to flood defence, the beach, will itself be protected – if you think of Seaford Town as the castle, the beach is it’s outer defensive wall, the off shore reef is it’s mote!
b) The need for heavy plant (lorries/bulldozers/diggers) to re-visit the beach to shore it up, re-position the shingle and even re-import the shingle lost to the sea will no longer be necessary – the EA therefore will no longer have to allocate increasing amounts from it’s ever tightening budget for this ever more regular task, this will therefore give it scope to divert funds for flood defences for Newhaven, Lewes and Uckfield. Also by negating the need for these heavy plant visits we will, admittedly in a very minute way globally, reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere – something that even our government is now saying should be central to all that we plan to do in the future - and will ensure the beach is less compacted such that it is again able to absorb water as it is intended to do.