Selsey and Bracklesham, West Sussex: A case study of the impact of coastal management on foreshore exposures and geological conservation

Abstract

Selsey and Bracklesham Bay, on the Manhood Peninsula of the West Sussex coast, have been well known since the mid-19th Century for their foreshore exposures of Eocene and Quaternary geology, as well as being popular for fossil collecting. The coast has two Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified for their geological importance. Active coastal erosion led to the construction of sea defences in the 1950s along East Beach, Selsey, followed by the construction of timber groynes along the Bracklesham Bay frontage. Destructive winter storms required increasingly expensive maintenance and replenishment of the shingle berm that separated the low-lying coastal land from the sea. Between 2010 and 2013, privately-funded sea defences and an Environment Agency managed realignment of the shoreline have significantly modified the coastline around the Medmerry area of the Peninsula. The positive negative effects of these works on the geological exposures and controversy over use of the beach at Bracklesham for recreational activities have highlighted several geoconservation issues. Negotiating to protect geological interests at this location has led to lessons being learnt which are transferable. Strategically, this paper identifies the importance of raising the public profile of geology and the role and support provided by geological champions for sites.