The delivery of a new scheme to better prepare homes, businesses and beach huts in North Swanage in Dorset, for future coastal erosion has been launched.
The Environment Agency selected North Swanage as one of five areas in England to explore new ways to lessen the damaging effect of the crumbling coast and awarded a £3 million grant to carry out the work.
Pop up information event on North Beach to launch the second phase of the Future Coast North Swanage project
Funding of £3 million
The money, which is shared between Swanage and Charmouth, further along the Dorset coastline, was announced in 2023, and an initial public consultation was completed in Swanage by project coordinators Dorset Coast Forum in July 2024.
The actual funding was handed over in November 2024, so now the team is back to deliver on the plans based on the feedback from Swanage residents, businesses and visitors.
Launching the second stage of the project called Future Coast North Swanage on Wednesday 28th May 2025, Sara Parker and Matt Smith from Dorset Coast Forum, set up a gazebo on North Beach, handing out information and chatting to beach users.
The other areas in England benefitting from the Environment Agency’s Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme are North Norfolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, and Bude in Cornwall.
What happens at the top of the cliff affects what happens at the bottom too!
Living on the edge in North Swanage, although sections of the cliff have been underpinned in the past
Adapting to coastal change options
While there is little that can be done to stop the cliffs eroding over the long term, there’s a range of options to help the North Swanage community adapt to coastal change. This could include:
- Improving drainage from roads and rooftops to reduce the impact of heavy rainfall soaking into the cliff
- Planning building development to reduce weight on cliff tops from terraces or garden walls
- Growing plants to absorb moisture and to allow the roots to bind soil together
- Leaving fallen rocks and soil at the bottom of a cliff, so it is less likely that more material will slip from the top
Signs remind people to be aware of the risks of landslips along North Beach
Sara Parker (left) and Matt Smith (right) from Dorset Coast Forum
“We have to face the reality of coastal erosion”
Sara Parker from Dorset Coast Forum said:
“North Swanage has been specially selected by the Environment Agency as an area affected by coastal erosion and the ideas trialled here will have a direct consequence on how the Environment Agency spends its money helping similar coastal communities. So the idea is to evaluate the methods trialled and see what works well.
“One of the things to realise is what anyone does to their home or garden at the top of the cliffs will have a knock effect on the beach hut owners at the bottom of the cliff, and anyone else who uses the space.
“Please do fill out our latest survey and have your say. We’re keen to hear from anyone who wants to suggest innovative solutions which may be a different type of drainage or a different way of using plants to stabilise the soil.
“There’s money for soft engineering and also for ideas to better improve access to North Beach.
“Living by the sea is marvellous for our wellbeing but we have to face the reality of coastal erosion in order to best adapt to living here in the future.”
Sara is also keen to hear from any North Swanage residents who would like to join the Future Coast North Swanage steering group.
For more details on what’s involved and the nomination process, contact Sara Parker on 07780 148790 for a chat.
Sunstantial parts of the cliff have slipped over winter 2024/25
Raising awareness of the issues
Information events
There are two community information events planned so people can find out more about how the delivery phase of the project will be shaped and how the North Swanage community can get involved.
- Thursday 5th June 2025 – Online session from 7 pm to 8.15 pm. Register online in advance
- Thursday 19th June 2025 – All Saints Church hall, Redcliffe Road, Swanage from 3 pm to 7 pm. A drop-in event with an opportunity to attend a short presentation at 4 pm and 6 pm
At Sheps Hollow at the north end of Swanage Bay, access is an issue but the new steps, installed as a response to the earlier consultation, have solved the problem for now
Complete the survey
The survey will close on Sunday 6th July 2025. Paper copies of the survey are available for collection at the Swanage Information Centre on Shore Road. Start the online survey
Further information
- More about the Future Coast North Swanage project
