Kirk Michael
Strategic Erosion Risk Assessment & Economics Appraisal
The National Strategy on Sea Defences, Flooding and Coastal Erosion highlights the pressures on coastal management on the Isle of Man, which are expected to worsen with climate change and sea level rise. The Department is currently underway with a review to the 2016 National Strategy, beginning earlier this year. This revision will set out strategy reports and recommendations to guide future decision making in the area of coastal management.
Recent data from detailed aerial surveys along the Kirk Michael coastline indicated that the rate of erosion in this region had accelerated. With this new information, this stretch of coastline has been investigated with a greater urgency. This work was aimed at delivering two key elements to aid decision making around the future management options for Kirk Michael. The study consists of two stages:
Stage 1 - Strategic Erosion Risk Assessment
Stage 2 - Economics Appraisal
Coastal Monitoring Surveys
Monitoring in the form of a detailed aerial survey of erosion on the Kirk Michael coastline commenced in November 2019, to ascertain the level of land erosion occurring over a three year period. An initial baseline survey was conducted in November 2019, with follow up surveys conducting in July 2021 and April 2022. The final reports produced by these surveys can now be seen at the below:
Aerial Survey Report - July 2024
Aerial Survey Report - January 2024
Aerial Survey Report - May 2023
Aerial Survey Report - November 2022
Aerial Survey Report - April 2022
Aerial Survey Report - July 2021
Aerial Survey Report - November 2019
Further information on the coastal erosion in Kirk Michael, as discussed in Tynwald can be seen at the below links to recently answered questions: