ABOUT THE ISLE OF WIGHT CENTRE FOR THE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT

The Isle of Wight Centre for the Coastal Environment (IWCCE) was established in 1996 to provide a focus for the Isle of Wight Council's growing activities on a local, regional, national and transnational scale in relation to coastal and geotechnical issues. The Centre fulfills the Council's functions in these fields and contributes to the delivery of strategic objectives.

Since it was formed the success of the IWCCE has led to the development of specialist services in the coastal management and geological-related fields. The IWCCE, within the Council's Directorate of Environment and Neighbourhoods, is the lead section for the following Council's functions :-

• Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
• Coastal defence
• Coastal, landslide and cliff management and monitoring
• Ground stability engineering
• Planning liaison over coastal and geotechnical-related issues
• Dissemination of information and consultations through the Isle of Wight Coastal Visitor's Centre.
• Management of Newport Harbour and Ventnor Haven.

The Centre has been successful in securing European Commission funding for a wide variety of research projects and initiatives and continues to maintain a high profile in terms of European and international coastal and geotechnical-related research. The results of research projects help address and inform Isle of Wight coastal and geological-related problems particularly in the context of climate change. The IWCCE is leading, or a partner in a number of International, national and regional coastal and environmental initiatives examining such issues as coastal management, climate change, landslides and sustainable development.