Coastal erosion: Land loss eight times greater than annual average, latest survey reveals

DISAPPEARING: The coast at Kilnsea, one of the areas mapped in the survey

By Angus Young

Some of the largest ever losses of land have been recorded in the latest cliff-top erosion survey along the Holderness coast.

Last winter’s exceptional weather – which included 11 named storms and record rainfall – dramatically accelerated the rate of erosion in some areas.

Between Holmpton and Easington, losses of up to 12 metres of land were recorded at some sites between August 2023 and May this year.

The average annual loss for that section of the coast is 1.4 metres using data collected by East Riding Council from regular survey work which started in 1983.

Between Hornsea and Cowden, losses of up to nine metres were measured compared to an annual average of 2.3 metres.

Eight-metre losses were recorded at sites between Skipsea and Hornsea, where the average yearly loss is  just 0.8metres, while six metres of cliff were washed away between Kilnsea and Spurn.

In July, faster than anticipated erosion at Mappleton triggered the closure of the public toilets and adjacent car park on safety grounds. The toilets were demolished last month.

Richard Jackson, the council’s coastal change manager, said: “There have been some quite dramatic losses throughout. We have also seen the biggest losses we have ever recorded in quite a number of locations up and down the coast.

“In the 500m stretches we break the coast down into as part of the survey we had higher losses than we have ever seen before. It’s something we continue to monitor.”

Following the results of the survey, Mr Jackson said the council had revised its estimates on when properties currently nearest the coast will become inhabitable.

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s environment and regeneration scrutiny committee, he added: “Based on the latest figures that were updated subject to the survey results coming back, we expect around 102 residential properties to be lost by 2105.

“However, that doesn’t include allowing for climate change which we expect will increase erosion rates.” 

New long-term coastal erosion forecasts which include climate change modelling for the first time are due to be published by the Environment Agency early next year.

They will map out three potential future scenarios for coastlines around the UK most at risk from erosion.

The council launched its own Changing Coasts project last year with the aim of working more closely with coastal communities to both respond to and plan for the impacts of coastal erosion, both now and in the long-term.

Last month, council officials met with their parish counterparts in Holmpton, Hollym and Easington to start discussions over potential future housing options and financial assistance for residents who will eventually be forced to relocate.

Committee vice-chair Councillor Denise Howard, who represents the East Wolds and Coastal ward, said: “With the mapping, obviously there is a lot of science behind it but I just don’t think you can map the force of nature.

“I live on that coastline and it’s literally changing massively on a monthly basis.”

Mr Jeremy Pickles, the council’s sustainable development manager, said the current policy of defending major centres of population and critical infrastructure along the coast would continue.

But he added: “Our ability to defend beyond that is zero. Regardless of environmental impact, the overall sustainability – whether that is environmental, social or economic – of defending the whole of our coast doesn’t stack up because the reality is that if we did defend all of it, you end up with Lincolnshire under water.

“For us it’s about transitioning. [The year] 2105 is a very short timescale really and with this project we are looking further ahead than that.

“The reality is we have to work with the natural processes we have got in order to sustain the bits that we currently do. We are looking at transition and adaptation but I don’t think the answer is defence everywhere.”

Mr Jackson said a future scenario in which currently defended towns such as Hornsea and Withernsea become increasingly isolated by coastal erosion on either side was  “something we are heading towards”.

He added: “There are a lot of options to look at but yes, it [the coast] will continue to move back either side of those places.”