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Programme Background

• Programme partners

The North East Coastal Monitoring Programme covers the coastline from the Scottish Border to Flamborough Head.

This is sometimes referred to as 'Coastal Sediment Cell 1' in England and Wales.

Within the programme, there are three main components:

1. Cell-wide Regional Framework and Activities
2. Strategic Monitoring: Scottish Border to River Tyne
3. Strategic Monitoring: River Tyne to Flamborough Head

Cell 1 Regional Framework and Activities

This part of the programme provides an overarching framework within which the two strategic programmes are set. This ensures a general consistency of approach to data collection (e.g. standard specifications), data management (e.g. metadata documentation), and data analysis (e.g. annual cell-wide overview reporting).

This also provides the basis for cost-effectively undertaking those activities which extend across the whole of Coastal Sediment Cell 1, such as aerial photography and wave data collection and analysis, and website development and maintenance.

This aspect of the programme comprises:

• Real-time wave data collection offshore from Whitby and Newbiggin Ness (commencing later in 2009)
• Aerial photography (to be flown spring 2010 and at suitable intervals thereafter)
• ata management and website updates (ongoing)
• Cell 1 Overview Reporting (annual)

Strategic Monitoring: Scottish Border to River Tyne

Although the North East Coastal Monitoring Programme started in its present guise in September 2008, strategic monitoring along the coastline between the Scottish Border and the River Tyne has been in place since April 2002. This programme has been fine-tuned over the years and comprises:

• Full Measures survey of 96 beach profile lines in autumn of each year
• Partial Measures survey of 39 beach profile lines in spring of each year
• Topographic surveys along Holy Island causeway in autumn each year
• Topographic surveys along Alnmouth Beach in spring and autumn each year
• Cliff top surveys at Newbiggin Bay Caravan Park in spring and autumn each year
• Cliff top surveys at Sandy Bay Caravan Park in spring and autumn each year
• Analytical Report (annually, winter)
• Update Report (annually, spring)
• Walk-over surveys of coastal defences, cliffs, dunes and beaches (every 2 years)
• Inspection Report and update of National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (every 2 years)

Strategic Monitoring: River Tyne to Flamborough Head

• Full Measures survey comprising beach profiles, topographic surveys and cliff top surveys in autumn of each year
• Partial Measures survey comprising beach profiles, topographic surveys and cliff top surveys in autumn of each year
• Analytical Report (annually, winter)
• Update Report (annually, spring)
• Bathymetric and sea bed characterisations surveys (scheduled for autumn 2009/spring 2010)
• Walk-over surveys of coastal defences, cliffs, dunes and beaches (every 2 years, except for along the Scarborough Borough Council's frontage which is annual)
• Inspection Report and update of National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (every 2 years, except for along the Scarborough Borough Council's frontage which is annual)