THE public is being urged to attend an exhibition in Felixstowe and give their views on safety measures designed to protect the resort from the sea.The draft report on the findings of consultants who reviewed themanagement strategy for coastal defences at Felixstowe will be displayed at the Leisure Centre on February 13 and 14 between 2pm and 7pm.

THE public is being urged to attend an exhibition in Felixstowe and give their views on safety measures designed to protect the resort from the sea.

The draft report on the findings of consultants who reviewed the

management strategy for coastal defences at Felixstowe will be displayed at the Leisure Centre on February 13 and 14 between 2pm and 7pm. Representatives of the main consultants Halcrow will be there with officers from Suffolk Coastal and the Environment Agency.

Cllr Andy Smith, Suffolk Coastal's Cabinet member for planning, said: ''Felixstowe is already protected to a standard sufficient to guard against an event similar to 1953. The need now is to improve that standard for the future and ensure that defences are replaced and upgraded as they wear out.

''This is the start of consultations on the strategy for improving flood and coast protection defences for southern Felixstowe. We need to receive the public's views and comments by the end of February.

'' The exhibition will show the possible options for works, and we would like to hear the views of the public on issues such as whether to use wooden, steel, or rock groynes/off-shore reefs as well as options for protecting against sea level rise.''

The Shoreline Management Plan for the coast from Lowestoft to Felixstowe was completed in 1998 and set policies for every section of the

coast in an integrated way. In Felixstowe the policy is ''Hold the Line'' and defend the existing coastline.

Suffolk Coastal in partnership with the Environment Agency and DEFRA, commissioned Halcrow to develop a strategy to implement the policy over the frontage from Cobbolds Point to the Port for a minimum of 50 years. Cllr Smith added: ''Halcrow have looked at defence standards, global warming, condition of defences, land use, and analysed what is at risk. This first phase of the report covers the stretch from the Town Hall to the Port.'' The public's comments and those received from the Felixstowe Regeneration Forum and the Felixstowe Town Council will help to shape the final strategy report from Halcrows. This will go to Suffolk Coastal and the Norfolk and Suffolk Flood Defence Committee (which directs the work of the Environment Agency) for adoption.

An application for funding will be made to the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.