Ham Residents Group has been formed to counter the "planning for the future" document, produced by the Environment Agency in partnership with Chichester and Arun District Councils.

We strongly believe that this document does not fairly represent the interests of the communities living on the Manhood Peninsula.

Our goal is "1 in 100 protection for Ham". This means that the risk of flooding for Ham would be reduced from the current once per year occurrence to once in a hundred years.

Ham is a small hamlet situated one mile from the coast in between Selsey and Bracklesham. There are 16 old, established, properties on increasingly valuable arable farmland. If the recommendations of the document were to be followed, all this would be lost to the sea, with no compensation given. One may feel that this is a small, isolated incident, but beware - Ham today, Selsey, Bracklesham, Wittering, Sidlesham, Chichester and more tomorrow!

We feel that that there are more options that should be considered other than the existing ones which appear not to have been fully thought through. Furthermore, our ideas may well be less expensive and work better for the wider community.

Up until January 31st 2007, we will be actively exploring and crystalising these options and then presenting these alternatives in a constructive and positive manner to the agencies concerned. Visit this website for continued updates.