Tuesday 30th September 2025 - Cliff Drainage, Bordering on Vandalism and Response

With low tides, first thing, this week we’ve been able to walk along the promenade (dipping down onto the beach where the slumps are and the closure is located) while watching the sun rising.  We noticed, the much awaited work on the slumps and the cliffs has commenced.  First, we saw a pipe has been located up the cliff and down to the sea wall, (see photo below) which I presume is draining excess water out of the cliffs and then today we could see part of the cliff to the west of the pipe has been scraped away.  This particular area of the cliffs has so far been free from knotweed.  The contractors have deposited the material they’ve removed, down at the east end of the promenade, behind the revetments.  Here, over a period of time and high tides, it will most likely get washed away. Since writing this blog, I have found a link, on NNDC’s Facebook page which provides details of their plans and timeframes for implementing the clearance of the slump and dealing with the knotweed.  Click here to access the document.

Walking up the access road to Clifton Way, I noticed large clods on the side of the cliff.  These are dotted all the way up, until the corner turn, near the bench which faces seawards.  Here we saw the buckthorn bushes have been chopped back.  An action which we both agree, borders on vandalism.  A trim may be necessary in order not to impede vehicles, which may need to access the bottom of the cliffs, once the knotweed is removed, but such brutal chopping most certainly seems over the top.  The buckthorns were full of berries which would have provided winter food for the birds and given the density of the branches would also have been a source of sanctuary from the easterly winds, not only for the birds but insects too.  We stood and looked in amazement at the decimation, before I took some photos.  I have included a couple of these below, which I have to say don’t show the extent of the decimation which has to be seen to be appreciated.

Finally, I forgot to mention in my last blog; I received a response, on the 24^th September to the question I posed, by email on the 16^th September, to Coastwise.  The reply stated, ‘The questionnaire, which was prepared and sent out by JBA who are working on the Overstrand Community Transition Plans, was sent out to the whole village via post.’