Hadleigh Marshes Policy Unit: Thames Estuary 2100
What needs to be done to manage flood risk and adapt to rising sea levels in Hadleigh Marshes, one of 23 policy units in Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100).
Applies to England
Map centred on the Hadleigh Marshes policy unit, which is an area of freshwater marshes immediately to the north of Canvey Island. The map extends 3 kilometres (km) north, 2km south and 2km east and west, showing the area around the policy unit boundary. The flood risk layer shows that most of the policy unit has a 0.1% or higher chance of flooding each year without the existing flood defences. The risk is reduced by defences.
Description
Hadleigh Marshes Policy Unit is an open area of freshwater marshes and is largely undeveloped, apart from a railway line that runs through the area. The area has historic, environmental and buried archaeological features.
The councils responsible for this area are:
- Castle Point Borough Council
- Southend-on-Sea City Council
Use the Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) map to view all the policy units.
Local areas at risk and types of flooding
The types of flooding that could affect this policy unit include:
- tidal flooding – when the tide overtops flood defences
- fluvial flooding from local watercourses including the drainage systems on Hadleigh Marshes – when heavy rainfall causes the ditches to flow onto the marsh
- a combination of these
The area provides an important open rural landscape with public access along the entire Estuary frontage.
There is a car parking area and Two Tree Island immediately southeast of the policy unit, which has flood defences. The defences contain contaminated material that may cause environmental damage if it is able to leach out into the river and adjoining intertidal habitats.
The western part of the marshes is a Special Protection Area (SPA) and the policy unit is adjacent to extensive areas of designated intertidal habitat.
The Shoeburyness to London Fenchurch Street railway line crosses the marshes. The line is raised above ground level but is still at risk of flooding in a major flood event.
Managing flood risk in this area
To manage these risks there are:
- tidal flood defences to Hadleigh Marshes
- drainage outfalls for the marsh drainage system
The Environment Agency also use flood alerts and flood warnings to inform people about potential flooding so they can take appropriate action. Sign up to receive flood warnings in your area.
Sign up to receive flood warnings in your area.
Flood risk management policies for this area
Thames Estuary 2100 sets flood risk management policies for each area of the estuary. The policies range from P3 to P5 and outline how we should manage that area’s tidal defences.
In this area, a P3 policy applies.
This means we will maintain flood defences at their current level, accepting that the flood risk will increase. We need to involve communities to prepare for this flood risk.
Find out more about flood risk management policies.
Local requirements: who needs to do what
Flood defence owners and infrastructure providers
Flood defence owners and infrastructure providers will plan to improve resilience into the future. This could include realigning flood defences.
Where flood defences contain contaminated materials, flood defence owners should ensure defences are maintained to prevent their release to the estuary.
These include Hadleigh Marsh landfill. The Environment Agency will continue to support research to develop and share long-term solutions for such sites.
For further information read outcome 2: improving fixed flood defences.
Local councils
The Association of South Essex Local Authorities includes:
- Basildon
- Brentwood
- Castle Point
- Essex County
- Rochford
- Southend-on-Sea
- Thurrock
The Association will work with the Environment Agency to manage the risk of flood and create multiple benefits. This should be part of South Essex proposals, from strategic plans to landscape-scale environment schemes. It should also be in line with the riverside strategy approach.
There is currently no riverside strategy for this area. By 2030, councils should work with communities to plan how their riverside will look in future.
Find out more about the riverside strategy approach.
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency will work with councils and the local community to implement resilience measures where a P3 policy applies.
Network Rail
Network Rail will work with councils and the Environment Agency to ensure transport infrastructure in Essex is resilient to increasing flood risk. This will support growth in the outer estuary.
Thames Estuary Partnership
The Thames Estuary Partnership will work with communities, councils, the Environment Agency and other partners to scope the need and potential extension of the Thames Strategy East or creation of an alternative Joint Thames Strategy to cover this Policy Unit.
Any agreed landscape vision for the river corridor will reflect how increasing tidal flood risk will affect the environment.