Bournemouth, Christchurch, Eco & Environment, Poole | Posted on December 4th, 2025 | return to news

BCP Council allocates funding to strengthen cliffs

The authority is set to spend £1.4 million to help bolster the stability of around 15.5 miles of sea cliffs.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is set to spend £1.4 million to help bolster the stability of around 15.5 miles of sea cliffs and chines, most of which it manages.

The funding will allow for essential works to reduce the risk of landslips and increase the safety of BCP’s iconic seafront.

Unlike coastal erosion, there is no national funding to assist with cliff stability management, so this funding helps to secure the long-term future of the area’s stunning surroundings.

Cabinet members voted to allocate the funding following discussion of the Sea Cliff and Chine Management Report on 26 November. It will go to Full Council at a later date.

The report identifies priority areas for possible spending, including a rolling programme of inspection, maintenance and replacement (where necessary) of over 700 sand drains and cliff drainage systems, and detailed assessments of areas of concern — including at West Cliff, Honeycombe Chine and Pinecliff Gardens — so the areas can be made safe for public use.

Improving drainage systems at key locations such as Tofts, Fisherman’s Walk, Manor Steps, East Cliff and Highcliffe will greatly reduce the risk of ongoing landslips at a relatively low cost. Specific priority areas will be identified by the Cliff Management Working Group.

Cllr Andy Hadley, Cabinet member for Climate Response, Environment and Energy at BCP Council, said: “Our cliffs are a defining feature of the BCP coastline, but they require proactive management to keep people safe and protect vital infrastructure.

“This investment is not just about addressing immediate risks — it’s about laying the foundations for a sustainable, long-term strategy that helps protect our coastline for years into the future.

“Work that we undertake will prioritise retaining the local access points and pathways to beaches that are well loved.”

BCP Council’s Cliff Management Strategy, due for completion by March 2026, will introduce a systematic approach to inspections and maintenance, ensuring the cliffs are managed as a critical asset for the community.

The allocation, from reserves, follows recent slips at West Cliff and East Cliff, which have highlighted the ongoing risks of cliff instability. Failure to invest would increase the risk of further landslips and road and promenade closures, which in turn could restrict public use.

It forms part of a wider package of recent and ongoing investment into the seafront across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which includes refurbishing public toilets, structural works at Bournemouth Pier, resurfacing paths at Highcliffe Beach and upgrading CCTV in key areas.

Many of the cliffs along BCP’s coastline are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest, carrying strict legal protections and limitations on engineering work — meaning regular monitoring is often required to ensure ecological and geological integrity is preserved.

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