It was a selfish idea to build the long groyne at hengistbury head

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One: Introduction

For this piece of coursework, I have been asked to investigate if weather or not the building of the long groyne at Hengistbury Head was a selfish idea. This is an issue worth discussing because Hengistbury Head (HH) is a popular area, with many local residents and a lot of visiting tourists who come for the beach activities and services etc. HH is on the South coast of the UK, the most attacked coastline in the world, which is what causes the controversy, why protect one part of this coast, when all of it needs protecting? To help me in this investigation, I will answer some key questions: ‘Where are HH and Highcliffe (HC) located?’ ‘How has the shape of the coastline changed over time? (Before and after the groyne)’ ‘what is HH and how was it formed?’ ‘Why is it popular amongst tourists? What is there to do and see?’ ‘What is an SSSI?’ ‘What are the problems at HH regarding coastal erosion?’ ‘What coastal protection methods are already in place?’ ‘What evidence is there of coastal erosion at HC?’ ‘Is there any coastal protection already at HC, if so, what?’ ‘What do residents of HH and HC think about the erosion taking place along their coastline?’ I will also compare and contrast what is going on at HH and HC with case studies from across Britain. I will be using primary information; information that I myself has gathered, e.g. my booklet from the field trip, and secondary information, e.g. information from internet sites. I will draw this coursework to a close by giving my own opinion, using the information gathered from various sources as evidence to answer the key questions, and using them to back up what I think.      

Two: Prediction

“Building the groyne at Hengistbury Head a selfish idea.”

In agreement with this statement, there are many things that could make the building of the groyne seem like a selfish idea. For example, the south coast of England is the most attacked coastline in the world, why should only one part be protected? What about the rest? Furthermore, Hengistbury Head is not only a friendly, bustling residential area, but also a popular tourist attraction, over 1,000,000 people visit HH every year, the groyne was very expensive, and needs maintaining, the money could have been spent on other things in the area to make it better for the those who live there and to make it better for, and attract more tourists.

On the other hand however, it could be seen as unselfish, as there are almost always two sides to a story. As stated before, HH is a busy residential area, and very popular among tourists, the groyne is stopping the beaches from moving further and further along the coast, and protecting the land. Without it, the head would be at increasing risk of eroding further and further back, losing more and more land. This would be very unsuitable, due to the vast amount of people that live around/visit the head, homes and attractions would be destroyed, as well as memories.

These are only 4 points arguing weather or not the groyne was selfish or not, by the end of this piece of work I hope to have many more, creating a stronger argument on this statement.    

Three: Key Questions

One: Where are Hengistbury Head and Highcliffe located?

Hengistbury Head and Highcliffe are both located in the South East of England, in the UK. Hengistbury Head is in Bournemouth, Dorset and South of Southampton, West of Portsmouth, East of Exeter and is on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Highcliffe is in Christchurch Dorset, located South of Hinton, west of Barton-on-Sea and East of Southbourne.

Two: How Has the Shape of This Stretch of Coastline Changed Over Time?

This is Hengistbury Head published in 1895, long before coastal erosion was understood or a worry. We can see here that the spit is much longer than it is in the most recent image, this is because they long groyne has not been built, so the area to the east of the spit is not deprived of beach material. It also shows that the small islands the Beerpan Rocks) are disappearing

This is a more recent image of Hengistbury head, after the long groyne was built. We can see that the slat marsh has become larger since then; the groyne has also helped to trap beach sediment to the west of the headland. The spit is shorter, but the headland is wider and we notice that the Beerpan Rocks have completely disappeared.

Three: What Is H.H & How Was It Formed?

Hengistbury Head is a headland; the definition of a head land is an area of land that is adjacent to water on 3 sides. It was formed by a number of natural processes, including erosion, long shore drift (where the sand and shingle are moved along the coast by the sea) and weathering where the elements erode the land causing it to change shape.  

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What do Residents of H.H & H.C think about the erosion taking place along their coastline?

Four: Why is HH a popular tourist destination?

Hengistbury head gets over 1,000,000 visitors a year, for a variety of reasons. The picturesque British coast provides a hot spot for families, and anyone who enjoys the beaches and coastline. HH also offers a lot of facilities for visitors; it has a nature reserve, and is a site of both scientific & archaeological importance. The area surrounding HH makes perfect conditions for hikers and ramblers and the lowlands in the area ...

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