Innovation Award for Runswick Bay Scheme

Dr Alice Hall has won the Innovation Award at the CIRIA BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards for her research in coastal infrastructure and defences.

Bournemouth University (BU) ecologist worked with Scarborough Borough Council and University of Hull (Dr Sue Hull) on a scheme to protect houses and coastal infrastructure in Runswick Bay in North Yorkshire with the defences having innovative measures to increase marine biodiversity.

The Runswick Bay Ecological Enhancement & Coastal Defence Scheme included placing granite rock armour to protect houses and coastal infrastructure along Runswick Bay.

The scheme was shortlisted for two awards and was awarded the Innovation BIG Biodiversity Challenge Award in recognition of the innovative method of increasing biodiversity in the construction of the coastal defences.

Robbin Siddle, Senior Coastal Officer at Scarborough Borough Council said, “The Runswick Bay Scheme has demonstrated a great successful partnership between both engineers and ecologists to design and build a scheme that provides not just coastal defence but also innovative enhanced environmental improvements.”