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Welcome to the DOC homepage

Why was DOC formed?

The 'Defend Our Coast Association' ( or DOC for short) has been set up by local people living on the Romney Marsh as a direct result of their dissatisfaction with the lack of local involvement and consultation by various Government bodies during the preparation of Shoreline Management Plans. This had identified the need for a non-political association to campaign on behalf of local people on the Marsh, the borders of which extend across East Sussex and Kent. DOC is committed to defending our coastline, improving our sea defences and reducing the flood risk to the Marsh so that its inhabitants and environment are protected for the future. Read more ...

Fact Finding Site Inspection at Galloways/Lydd Ranges

Site Inspection at Galloways 30.12.2008

Site Inspection at Galloways 30.12.2008

DOC  arranged a site inspection  at Galloways/Lydd Ranges with EA and MOD Staff which took place on 30 December 2008. Our Technical Officer Tony Hills and  MOD Staff were able to  update the  EA  on the present state of sea defences at Galloways/Lydd Ranges. Read more »

Great Expectations for 2009!?

DOC looks forward with great expectations to the New Year and the planned improvements to our sea defences here on the Romney Marsh although we are fully aware that many other coastal  areas within the UK will not be so fortunate. Let us not forget that coastal defence  sadly  no longer seems to be  a foregone conclusion and that we must all continue to campaign for improved policies to protect coastal dwellers all around the country.

Progress!!!!

At last repairs are being carried out  to the groynes at Broomhill.

Over the last few weeks the Environment Agency has been busy renewing parts of the groynes  which  had been  in urgent need of repairs for years! This was a very welcome sight and not a moment too soon given that  Broomhill is such a vulnerable link in the sea defences on the  Marsh.

Emergency repair works are also planned to take place at the Lydd Ranges over  Christmas . Again a very weak point in urgent need of  strengthening.

DOC  has arranged a site inspection on the state of the sea defences along  the Lydd Ranges for the end of December 2008 and will be joined by EA Staff on the day. This will provide an excellent opportunity  for DOC to update  Environment Agency Staff on the most urgent needs for sea defence repair  in this area and our Technical Officer Tony Hills will be on hand  to assist.  A report will be issued following the inspection.

High Knocke to Dymchurch Redoubt Sea Defence Scheme News

The Environment Agency has produced a newsletter to update you on the £60 million sea defence project that will reduce flooding for nearly two and a half thousand homes in Dymchurch.

More than 400 people came to see the plans at a recent exhibition and we were pleased with the amount of public support and understanding for the need of the scheme….. Read more »

Coastal Defence Headlines

No doubt you will have seen news articles about various other coastal areas in the Southeast (Cuckmere Valley and Deal) , as well as locations all over the  country,  whose coastal defences have made the headlines recently. For some the news has been better than for others, but the one burning issue which  unites us  is the fact that we are all passionate to defend our coastline wherever possible. It also points out that time is running out unless these matters are addressed urgently.

Let us hope that policy makers take local expertise and opinions into account when reaching their decisions rather than just  employing a blanket policy, the consequences of which could be detrimental to  local communities. Value for money is not always the only answer or justification to a scheme!

Littlestone Wall Shingle Defence 11/11/2008

Sea Wall at Littlestone

Sea Wall at Littlestone

The shingle crest looking towards Dungeness showing the actual crest is as narrow as 3 metres in places. The original defence plan (2002) was a shingle depth (seaward) of 10 metres with an emergency shingle feed when and if the shingle dropped to 5metres. The hope was that the shingle would “draw down” and re-profile itself to naturally absorb the wave energy.

Our Technical Officer Tony Hills reports.

Read more »

Another Lucky Escape!

Stormy Weather!

Despite the recent stormy weather we yet again have managed to escape the worst scenario. But if the tides over the last few days would have been higher it could have been a different picture for us all on the Romney Marsh!

Continued Re-Shingling

Continued Re-Shingling

And not  even the newly deposited  shingle bank was  safe from the elements. It clearly  emphasises the need for continued maintenance whilst much needed progress must continue to implement permanent solutions for our failing sea defences.

Time will run out if delays occur - whereas the power of the sea will never waiver.

Photographs taken from Jury’s Gap towards Lydd Ranges and Broomhill.

Sea defences to be saved where possible states Chairman of EA


Areas of the Suffolk coast will not be abandoned “unless it is absolutely necessary”, the chairman of the Environment Agency said yesterday as he held a series of meetings with groups concerned at plans to stop maintaining some of the estuary defences.

Lord Smith states :”we want to make sure we protect as much as possible. We need to agree solutions for each individual estuary. I certainly don’t want to abandon anything unless we absolutely have to.” Read more »

Engaging with the public in the battle against climate change!

Lord Smith

Lord Smith

Chris Smith, the new Chairman of the Environment Agency wants the Environment Agency  to engage with the public in the battle against climate change!

But for its new Chairman, the challenge is to relate these giant, global issues to the grassroots level, connecting to local communities and involving them in the decision making.  It is vital that the agency works alongside communities, rather than imposing solutions on them, Lord Smith argues. Read more »

History of Shingle Erosion at Galloways

Galloways behind Lydd Ranges showing the rate of shingle crest erosion over a ten year period.

Tony Hills (Technical Officer - DOC)  states:

” If the beach eroded a cubic metre a year over the six kilometres of coastline behind the ranges it would equate to a shingle loss of six thousand cubic metres per annum. This would indicate that the shingle erosion is greater than the deposition being created by ‘long shore drift’ or by the ‘recharge’ at Jury’s Gap. If the erosion of shingle is to be halted or slowed the EA will have to increase the quality and quantity of the shingle being deposited at Jury’s Gap  and/or , in my opinion , construct groynes over a greater length than currently planned. ”

See detailed photographic evidence.