CITiZAN - Project partners and supporters and coastal agencies

The NLHF is administered by the trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, a body incorporated by statute. Since 1994 it has been the UK's leading funder of community projects involving the local, regional and national heritage of the United Kingdom. Their support includes historic buildings, museums and archives, natural heritage and the histories of people and places, and they have awarded £6 billion to more than 37,000 projects across the UK, including the Thames Discovery Programme.

Back to top

Lloyd's Register Foundation

The Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global charity with a mission to protect the safety of life and property and to advance public education. It is also the custodian of Lloyd’s Register’s unique heritage collection, which contains over 250 years of maritime history including ship plans, survey reports, Register Books and much more. The collection is an important resource for maritime history, marine engineering, naval architecture, offshore engineering and ocean technology. The Foundation are committed to using the collection to create impact in line with their charitable aims.

The Heritage & Education Centre (HEC), which looks after the collection, is encouraging research that utilises their archive material (both physical and digitised) in different ways. HEC are in the process of making 1.25 million ship plans and survey reports more accessible to the public online and preserving them for future generations. Their website also holds digitised collections of the World Fleet Statistics and Casualty Returns as well as Lists of Surveyors and the Register of Ships.

Back to top

MOLA

The lead project partner for the CITiZAN project is Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), an organisation employing about 250 staff to carry out some 200 archaeological projects each year. Its predecessor bodies began working in London in 1973 and it can call on the skills of a wide range of experienced specialists in field archaeology, documentary and historical research, artefact analysis, archaeobotany, human bioarchaeology, faunal analysis, environmental archaeology, standing buildings, geoarchaeology, information technology, geomatics, graphics and photography. It also houses its own Community Archaeology unit, which includes the Thames Discovery Programme team, and thus is well placed to host the CITiZAN programme.

Back to top

Council for British Archaeology

The Council was founded in 1944 as the national body for the 'safeguarding of all kinds of archaeological material and the strengthening of existing measures for the care of ancient and historic buildings, monuments, and antiquities' and to improve public education about archaeology. The organisation has grown over the years and is now a registered charity run by a board of trustees on behalf of the membership. Under its mission statement, Archaeology for All it actively promotes its four main objectives of participation, discovery, advocacy (at all political levels) and sustainability. It runs the major national Festival of Archaeology (FoA) every July in addition to many other initiatives, such as the Young Archaeologists Club (YAC) and, as a committed supporter of community archaeology, hosts the team working on the CITiZAN project in northern England.

Back to top

Nautical Archaeology Society

Although based in the UK, this non-governmental registered charity has strong links to partner organisations around the world. It promotes the preservation of our archaeological heritage in the marine environment, by acting as a focus for coastal and marine archaeology, a non-renewable resource at constant threat from natural and human agencies. The Nautical Archaeology Society is dedicated to advancing education in this field at all levels, to improving techniques in recording, preservation and reporting and to encouraging the participation of members of the public at all stages in this process. It has long championed vessel recording, not just by divers underwater, but also by community teams working in the intertidal zone, in estuaries and on the open coast.

Back to top

National Trust

In 1895, Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley created the National Trust with the aim of saving our nation's heritage and open spaces for the benefit of everyone. Today, over a century later, they have a staggering 4m members and care for historic houses, gardens, mills, forests, castles, 61 pubs and inns, whole villages and a goldmine. These sites now welcome 19 million visitors a year, from all ages and backgrounds. Following a fifty-year campaign to purchase threatened sections of the UK coastline (Operation Neptune), the National Trust also manages 775 miles of coast, including the World Heritage site in Dorset and East Devon. This is a vast commitment, not least because 60 per cent of the Trust’s coast is at risk of erosion and flooding in the 21st century. Each site is assessed individually to judge best how natural processes might be worked with to achieve long-term sustainable approaches to manage coastal change; encourage wildlife and natural habitat; anticipate coastal pressure points and look into possible acquisition of surrounding land and coastline.

Back to top

Historic England

Historic England was formerly known as English Heritage (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England), but was renamed in April 2015 following a major reorganisation. It is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) tasked with protecting the historical environment of England by preserving and listing historic buildings, ancient monuments and advising central and local government. It therefore has a similar remit to Natural England which aims to protect the natural environment.

Historic England inherits English Heritage's position as the UK government's statutory adviser and a statutory consultee on all aspects of the historic environment and its heritage assets. This includes archaeology on land and under water, historic buildings sites and areas, designated landscapes and the historic elements of the wider landscape. English Heritage was also responsible for the pioneering Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey on the English inter-tidal zone.

Tasked to secure the preservation and enhancement of the man-made heritage of England for the benefit of future generations, its remit includes:

Caring for nationally important archive collections of photographs, drawings and other records which document the historic environment of England.
Giving grants national and local organisations for the conservation of historic buildings, monuments and landscapes. In 2013/14 over £13 million worth of grants were made to support heritage buildings.
Advising central UK government on which English heritage assets are nationally important and should be protected by designation (i.e. listing, scheduling etc.).
Administering the register of England's listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered battlefields, conservation areas and protected parks and gardens.
Providing expertise through advice, training and guidance to improve the standards and skills of people working in heritage, practical conservation and access to resources. In 2009–2010 it trained around 200 professionals working in local authorities and the wider sector.
Commissioning and conducting archaeological research, including the publication of 'Heritage Counts' and ‘Heritage at Risk’ on behalf of the heritage sector which are the annual research surveys into the state of England's heritage.

Back to top

The Crown Estate

The remit of the Crown Estate extends to virtually the entire seabed out to the 12 nautical mile territorial limit, as well as around half of the foreshore. They are one of the UK’s largest coastal landowners, managing, investing or with an interest in hundreds of aquaculture sites, moorings, marinas, leisure boating, ports and harbours around half the UK’s shoreline. Over the last ten years, the value of their property portfolio has doubled from a £4 billion to a £8.1 billion business. But they are not only a successful business, since Stewardship is another of their core value, representing their commitment to exemplary environmental practice, sustainability and taking the long-term view. In particular, their marine stewardship programme supports a wealth of practical projects, relevant research and other initiatives that improve the status and management of their coastal estate.

Back to top

Agencies, collaborators and other coastal bodies

Associated British Ports

Associated British Ports Holdings Ltd owns and operates 21 ports in the United Kingdom, managing around 25 per cent of the UK's sea-borne trade. The company's activities cover transport, haulage and terminal operations, ship's agency, dredging and marine consultancy. Since 2006, the company has been owned by a consortium consisting of Goldman Sachs, Borealis, GIC, and Prudential. ABP operate thirteen English ports, including Barrow, Fleetwood, Garton, Goole, Grimsby, Hull, Immingham, Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Lowestoft, Plymouth, Southampton and Teignmouth.

British Geological Survey

In 1845, a study was established 'to facilitate the completion of a geological survey of Great Britain and Ireland’, subsequently becoming part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) in 1965, then renamed the British Geological Survey in 1984.The BGS is a world-leading geological survey. It works for the public and the government to understand earth and environmental processes, providing objective and authoritative geoscientific data to allow society to use its natural resources responsibly, manage environmental change and be resilient to environmental hazards. This includes detailed studies of relative sea level rise and coastal erosion, at sites in Yorkshire (Cayton Bay, Aldborough, Scarborough), Norfolk (Happisburgh, Sidestrand), Kent (Folkestone Warren), Sussex (Beachy Head) and Dorset (Lyme Regis, Stonebarrow Hill).

http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/climatechange/environment/coastal/caseStudies.html

Coastal Concordat for England

The Coastal Concordat for England is an agreement between Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Transport, Department for Communities and Local Government, the Marine Management Organisation, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Local Government Association’s Coastal Special Interest Group, representing authorities in estuarine and coastal areas, and National Parks England.

The coastal concordat sets out key principles for coordinating the consenting process for coastal development in England. These principles have been developed by representatives of all those organisations who are directly involved. The concordat approach offers benefits to applicants, regulators and advisors by reducing unnecessary regulatory duplication, providing better sign-posting, streamlining assessments and increasing transparency and consistency of advice. Once adopted, the concordat approach can apply to any applications for coastal development as defined in the agreement. It will not apply where coordination mechanisms are already in place eg for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. The regulatory remits of the bodies that signed the Coastal Concordat are set out below.

Local Planning Authority / National Park (LPA)

Any works above Mean Low Water

Marine Management Organisation (MMO)

Any licensable activity below the Mean High Water Springs mark in tidal rivers, estuaries and on the coast
Any works that require harbour revision orders or harbour empowerment orders.
Any activity below the High Water Mark prohibited under wildlife legislation such as killing or taking certain protected species to prevent problems, carrying out surveys or conservation work, disturbing or damaging the habitat of certain strictly protected species, possessing or keeping certain wildlife.

Environment Agency (EA)

Any works in, under or over most estuaries, works within 16m of the top of flood defences (will vary per region) or likely to affect beaches, promenades or sea defences.
Land based discharges, any ship breaking, or keeping or disposing of radioactive sources out to 12 nautical miles.
Any building or changes to industrial plants, any waste activities on land or shipments of waste or radioactive material
Any abstractions, impoundment or water transfer in any natural or artificial tidal river, stream or other watercourse, reservoir, dock, channel, creek, bay, estuary or arm of the sea.

Natural England (NE)

Consents and assents to owners/occupiers of SSSIs.
Licensing of activities otherwise prohibited under wildlife legislation for the killing, taking or disturbance of terrestrial European and UK protected species or for damage or disturbance to their habitats.
See https://www.gov.uk/how-marine-licensing-works

Department for Transport

Transport and Works Act Order for large-scale transport infrastructure, including, bridges, piers and tunnels (outside Concordat).
See also: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/2 73359/twa-orders-summary-guide-2013.pdf

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Government department responsible for policy and regulations on environmental, food and rural issues. supported by 34 agencies and public bodies, including Environment Agency, Natural England, National parks Authorities (eg New Forest, North Yorkshire, South Downs), Marine Management Organisation and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The Environment Agency

The Environment Agency (EA) is a non-departmental public body, established in 1996 and sponsored by the United Kingdom government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). They have wide responsibilities for the protection and enhancement of the environment in England. It has particular responsibility for water quality, for flooding and coastal change, flood warnings, river levels and flood risk maps. It works closely in the development of local Shoreline Management Plans (see below).

Marine Conservation Society

Concern about the worrying state of our seas and following Underwater Conservation Year in 1977, the Underwater Conservation Society was formed. This developed into the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) in 1983, since when it has achieved major successes in influencing Government and industry, protecting special wildlife, tackling sewage problems and developing programmes for sustainable seafood.

Today, more than 7,000 supporters fund the work through membership and donations, while more than 10,000 MCS volunteers clean up our beaches each year through the Beachwatch programme, tackling marine litter at source. In September 2014 the MCS celebrated 21 years of this work, when a record breaking number of volunteers collected and recorded a 273,747 pieces of litter from around the coast.

http://www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/

Marine Management Organisation

The MMO was created in 2009 with offices in London and Newcastle as an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by DEFRA. Its role is to license, regulate and plan marine activities in the seas around England and Wales, ensuring that they are carried out in a sustainable way. The responsibilities of the MMO include: managing and monitoring fishing fleet sizes and quotas for catches; ensuring compliance with fisheries regulations, such as fishing vessel licences, time at sea and quotas for fish and seafood; planning and licensing for marine construction, deposits and dredging that may have an environmental, economic or social impact; making marine nature conservation byelaws; dealing with marine pollution emergencies, including oil spills; producing marine plans to include all marine activities; enforcing wildlife legislation and issuing wildlife licences.

Maritime & Coastguard Agency

This government agency works to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea. It produces legislation and guidance on maritime matters, provides certification to seafarers and is concerned with wrecks and material from wrecks through the office of the Receiver of Wreck

Natural England

Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide. They have 2,000 staff in offices throughout England, with our headquarters in York. Their remit includes advising on the protection of the marine environment in inshore waters (0 to 12 nautical miles); improving public access to the coastline; supporting National Trails and managing 140 National Nature Reserves.

England Coast Path: The government is putting additional funding in place over the next five years, to make sure that this national path is completed by 2020.This will significantly speed up the programme of work so that we will be able to walk around the entire coastline of England (and therefore access the foreshore more easily) much sooner. The national map England Coast Path: overview of progress shows where Natural England are already working; stretches that are open; when work on new stretches is likely to start. The map will be kept up to date over the 5 year period.

Receiver of Wreck

The Receiver of Wreck, Alison Kentuck, deals with cases of voluntary salvage wreck material across the UK, and makes sure that the interests of both salvor and owner are taken into consideration.Her team processes incoming reports of wreck. This involves researching ownership of wreck material, working with the finder and owner, working with other interested parties, such as archaeologists and museums.

Anyone finding wreck material, eg parts of a ship or its cargo, should report it to the Receiver of Wreck at the MCGA. You must report any material you recover within 28 days, or you could be fined £2,500. Reporting wreck material gives the legal owner the opportunity to have their property returned.

How to report wreck material Send the ‘Report of wreck and salvage’ form to the Receiver of the Wreck (the address is on the form). You can also get a copy of the form from the receiver or your local coastguard.

Receiver of Wreck row@mcga.gov.uk 02380 329 474

Wreck material - Wreck material includes things found on the sea shore or in tidal water that have come from a ship, aircraft or hovercraft (vessels). This could be parts of the vessel, its cargo or equipment. There are 4 main categories:

flotsam - goods that remained afloat after being lost from a ship that has sunk
jetsam - items cast overboard from a ship that was in danger of sinking
derelict - vessels or cargo abandoned at sea without hope of recovering it
lagan - goods that have been buoyed (so they can be recovered) before being cast overboard from a ship that then sinks

Wreck material does not normally include boats that have come off their moorings, marker buoys or mooring buoys

Contact the RoW if you’re not sure whether something is wreck material.

Read information about wreck and salvage law.

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

The RSPB is a charitable organisation registered in England, Wales and Scotland. It was founded as the Plumage League in 1889 by Emily Williamson, as an organisation concerned with the excessive use of feathers used in fashion items, and the impact this was having of bird populations. It now works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment through public awareness campaigns, petitions and through the operation of nature reserves throughout the United Kingdom. It has over 1300 employees, 18 000 volunteers and more than 1 million members (including 195,000 youth members), making it the largest wildlife conservation charity in Europe.

The RSPB maintains over 100 nature reserves in England, many of which are on the coast or in tidal estuaries. Although the archaeological sites in these areas are protected from most redevelopments, they are still subject to coastal erosion, and so will need to be surveyed and monitored.

Selection of RSPB Reserves:

Adur Estuary, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
Arne, Dorset
Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire
Berney Marshes, Norfolk
Blacktoft Sands, Yorkshire
Bowling Green Marsh, Devon
Brading Marshes, Isle of Wight
Buckenham Marshes, Norfolk
Burton Mere Wetlands, Cheshire
Campfield Marsh, Cumbria
Cliffe Pools, Kent
Coquet Island, off Amble, Northumberland
Dingle Marshes, Suffolk
Dungeness, Kent
Elmley Marshes, Kent
Exminster Marshes, Devon
Fairburn Ings, West Yorkshire
Freiston Shore, Lincolnshire
Gayton Sands, Cheshire
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Ham Wall, Somerset
Havergate Island, Suffolk
Hayle Estuary, Cornwall
Langstone Harbour, Hampshire
Marazion Marsh, Cornwall
Marshside, Merseyside
Morecambe Bay, Lancashire
Rainham Marshes, Essex, London
Saltholme, Teesside
Snettisham, Norfolk
South Essex Marshes, Essex
St Bees Head, Cumbria
Stour Estuary, Essex
Titchwell Marsh, Hunstanton, Norfolk
West Sedgemoor, Somerset

Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts

The Wildlife Trust is made up of 47 local Wildlife Trusts in the UK under the umbrella of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. They have a membership in excess of 80,000 members and between them manage around 2,300 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares, some of which include sections of coastline. The Wildlife Trust movement has its origins in the The Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (SPNR), formed by Charles Rothschild in 1912. The first independent Trust was formed in Norfolk in 1926 as the Norfolk Naturalists Trust, but it was not until the 1940s and 1950s that more Naturalists' Trusts were formed eg in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. These early Trusts tended to focus on purchasing land to establish nature reserves in the geographical areas they served. By 1964, the number of Trusts had increased to 36 and the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves had changed its name to the Society for the Promotion of Nature Conservation. But is now known as the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. England has over thirty 30 Trusts including:

Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Devon Wildlife Trust
Dorset Wildlife Trust
Durham Wildlife Trust
Essex Wildlife Trust
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
London Wildlife Trust
Norfolk Wildlife Trust (registered as Norfolk Naturalists' Trust)
Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Somerset Wildlife Trust
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Sussex Wildlife Trust
Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Shoreline Management Plans

Shoreline Management Plans (SMP) are studies of naturally-defined coastal areas, developed by Coastal Groups working with local authorities and the Environment Agency. The groups identify the most sustainable approach to managing the flood and coastal erosion risks to the coastline in the short-term (0 to 20 years), medium term (20 to 50 years) and long term (50 to 100 years). The major policy options are:

Hold the existing line of defence – by maintaining or changing the standard of protection. Used to cover situations where works or operations are undertaken to existing defences, in order to improve or maintain the standard of protection provided by the existing defence line.
Advance the existing defence line – by constructing new defences seaward of the original defences. Option limited to those frontages where significant land reclamation is under consideration and there are no major environmental or engineering constraints.
Managed realignment – by allowing the shoreline to move backwards or forwards, with management to control or limit its movement. Identifying a new line for coastal defence and, where appropriate, constructing new defences on a different line to the original defences.
No active intervention – where there is to be no national investment in coastal defence assets or operations. However, monitoring and inspections of the shoreline will still be required

See links to SMPs