Emerging Risks

Coastal Flooding

The risk of coastal flooding is one of the most significant risks on the National Risk Assessment.  The East Coast of England (from Northumbria to Kent) is under threat from the possibility of coastal flooding. This is caused by a combination of low atmospheric pressure over the North Sea, high tide levels (Spring tides) and northerly gales driving a storm surge down the east coast of England towards the English Channel.

The outcome could be a very large sea surge in the North Sea, with tides, gale force winds and potentially heavy rainfall.  Many coastal regions and tidal reaches of rivers could be affected, from South Yorkshire down the coast as far as Kent.

For further infornation on coastal flooding in Essex, click on this link.

The SS Richard Montgomery                     Sunken WW2 Ammunition Ship between Sheerness (Kent) & Southend (Essex) 

The SS Richard Montgomery is a wrecked American Liberty cargo ship that was built during World War II. She was wrecked on the Nore sandbank in the Thames Estuary, near Sheerness, Kent, England, in August 1944, while carrying a cargo of munitions. About 1,400 tonnes (1,500 short tons) of explosives remain on board presenting a hazard whose likelihood of explosion is variously asserted to be low to moderate.

According to a 2008 survey, the wreck is at a depth of 15 m (49 ft), on average, and leaning to starboard. At all states of the tide, her three masts are visible above the water.

Because of the presence of the large quantity of unexploded ordnance, the ship is monitored by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and is clearly marked on the relevant Admiralty charts. There is an exclusion zone around her monitored visually and by radar. According to a survey conducted in 2000 by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency,[5]: 2000 survey, p21–22  the wreck still held munitions containing approximately 1,400 tonnes (1,500 short tons) of TNT high explosive.

New Battery Energy Storage Sites

Battery storage technologies are essential to speeding up the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy. Battery storage systems will play an increasingly pivotal role between green energy supplies and responding to electricity demands.

Battery storage, or battery energy storage systems (BESS), are devices that enable energy from renewables, like solar and wind, to be stored and then released when the power is needed most.

Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in mobile phones and electric cars, are currently the dominant storage technology for large scale plants to help electricity grids ensure a reliable supply of renewable energy. We’ve begun deploying this technology with heavier equipment, working with Viridi Parente – a company that makes battery storage systems for industrial, commercial and residential buildings.

For further information on Battery Storage Sites, CLICK HERE

Proposed Lower Thames Crossing

The Lower Thames Crossing is a proposed new road that would connect Kent and Essex through a tunnel beneath the River Thames. The reliable new route will almost double road capacity over the river east of London to reduce congestion and give millions of people more choice on where they live, work and spend their valuable time. 

The A122 Lower Thames Crossing would connect to the A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 in Thurrock and junction 29 of the M25 in the London Borough of Havering. It would be approximately 14.3 miles long, with 2.6 miles of this in two tunnels under the Thames – making them the longest road tunnels in the UK. The tunnels would be located to the east of the village of Chalk on the south side of the Thames, and to the west of East Tilbury on the north side.

Safety at Large Public Gatherings & Events

Safety Advisory Group (SAG)

Safety Advisory Groups or SAG's are usually co-ordinated by a Local Authority (LA) and made up of representatives from the LA, emergency services, other relevant bodies and the event organiser. They may be event or location specific but otherwise tend to be based on LA boundaries.

SAGs provide a forum for discussing and advising on public safety at an event. They aim to help organisers with the planning, and management of an event and to encourage cooperation and coordination between all relevant agencies. They are non-statutory bodies and so do not have legal powers or responsibilities, and are not empowered to approve or prohibit events from taking place. Event organisers and others involved in the running of an event, retain the principal legal duties for ensuring public safety.