Managed Retreat: an extreme option to an extreme problem

By: Matthew Feitelberg

There is a direct corelation between intensive development and beach erosion. More development means more erosion. Despite this, it was recently announced that the Central Planning Authority had granted permission for the redevelopment of Aqua Beach, a low-rise condo on the northern reaches of Seven Mile Beach. The new development will be 10-storeys tall, rising 130 feet over the surrounding developments. The development is the most recent in a new tradition of development along the beach that prioritises short-term tourism profits over the long-term stability of the island and its people.

The intensity of development along the southern reaches of Seven Mile, in addition to the ever increasing frequency of powerful nor-westers and hurricanes, has stripped away huge portions of the beach, resulting in the sea lapping at newly exposed concrete foundations. The northern part of Seven Mile has largely avoided high-rise development, but the approval of the Aqua Bay scheme has created a new precedent for intensive development along the entire coastline.

Clearly, the Planning Authority refuses to see the correlation between increasing development and coastal erosion, leaving few options for the survival of one of our greatest examples of natural beauty. Few routes are left if we wish to retain what remains of Seven Mile Beach. Currently, there is a strong push for beach nourishment, but this is a short-sighted approach that does not tackle the root of the issue. Sea walls and other barriers could stop some sand from eroding away but would also eliminate the natural flow of sediment along the beach, leading to future problems.

The severe erosion is a man-made problem, and man-made solutions will not solve the issues. As such, man needs to get out of the way. Managed retreat seems to be one of the last tools left in our arsenal.

What is Managed Retreat?

Managed retreat is exactly what it sounds like; the controlled withdrawal of development from a dangerous or unstable area to an place that is more stable. In Cayman’s case, this would mean the removal and demolition of development along Seven Mile Beach and its reconstruction in more stable areas of the island. If this sounds like an extreme measure it’s because it is. A retreat from the coast would represent a massive social and economic loss to Cayman. Our culture and economy is inextricably linked with the sea and having easy access to it. To remove that access would eliminate a central part of our way of life.

Managed retreat is a radical option that should not be taken lightly, but I would argue that we currently have no other available paths. The process would begin with a moratorium on all construction along the Seven Mile Beach corridor and any other coastal areas which are facing high levels of erosion. Land would then need to be set aside further inland in other districts where the reconstruction of hotels and condos could take place. And eventually the existing structures along the coast would be pulled down and their materials recycled.

What would it look like?

As chaotic as this move sounds, the island would see substantial benefits. The first step would be to impose a moratorium on all construction in and around the coastal regions, immediately. This would allow for time to strategically plan the future of the coastal regions in terms of development and identify areas which are stable enough to take the increase in density that would move to them.

Secondly, existing buildings would have to be redesigned to allow for ‘flow-through’ ground floors. This would entail allowing the ground floor of buildings along the beach to be ‘opened’ when there is a risk of flooding, allowing the sea to wash through to preserve the natural flow of sediment across the island.

Thirdly, deconstruction would have to begin. As structures which approach the end of their life, they must be demolished and the plots of land on which they stood re-naturalised. If developers wish to rebuild these structures, they would have to do so away from the beach and on higher ground on other parts of the island. The newly naturalised beach would allow for the creation of public parks and rights of way that would give Seven Mile back to the public which it is meant to serve, and allow tourists and locals to mingle as equals.

Fourthly, new development would have to be strictly controlled. To say that nothing could ever be built on Seven Mile Beach is not practical, there will always be a need for a certain number of structures that are required for the natural functioning of the area; shops, restaurants, cafes, etc. However, these must be built in a light touch manner that will cause little to no damage to the natural functioning of the area.

To say that managed retreat is anything less than extreme would be an understatement. The removal and relocation of dozens of large hotels and condos would have huge implications for the economy, and it is impossible to say.  However, what is possible to say is that the implications of not retreating from the coast will likely  be far greater than we could imagine.