Sea defence management to stop in Charmouth for 100 years

Under the current government Shoreline Management plan for Charmouth, the management of coastal defences - such as the sea wall, rock groyne and rock armour protection - is due to stop in 2025.

The plan, from the Department for the department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs  (Defra), says the approach for Charmouth will change to "no active intervention" and it would be "technically, economically, or environmentally unsustainable to maintain" coast defence structures. This will be the approach for the next 100 years.

As previously reported, a new interactive map has shown the areas of the UK which could be underwater in just six years.

READ MORE: West Dorset communities 'at risk of being underwater' in six years

One of the areas projected to be worse affected is Charmouth, particularly in the low-lying areas of the beach - which is hugely popular with tourists and fossil hunters alike.

The map was created by an independent organisation of scientists and journalists, collectively known as Climate Central.

The sea wall at Charmouth Beach (Image: Tom Lawrence)

From 2005 until 2025, the approach has been to "hold the line" and repair, but not replace sea defences in Charmouth.

If funding allows, coastal defence structures will be repaired but not replaced if they fail or reach the end of their design life.

Alison Ferris, earth, marine and environmental science manager Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, which is on the seafront, has previously said the centre may have to move inland, and said she is concerned about the future.

"Charmouth Parish Council is looking at how to manage the area," she said.

"The money is not there for sea defences, so we are now forced to have consultations on where to move inland.

"If money goes towards consultations, that is great but it isn't going to solve the problem.

"It comes down to that shoreline management plan to look after the sea defences."

A spokesperson for Charmouth Parish Council said: "The parish council has been aware of the position as stated in the South Devon and Dorset Shoreline Management Plan for some time and has recently been in discussion with Dorset Council about a fund from DEFRA which is available to try and plan for the future in this regard."

Ingrid Cathrall, who works on the seafront in Charmouth, said: "I think that it has probably affected tourism here because the beach seems to be getting smaller.

"That could be other factors, more people are going abroad now but numbers are dropping.

"It is ridiculous because this is the future and it is only going to get worse everywhere."

Kayleigh Gill, a staff member at Charmouth Fossils, said: "It is going to happen, there is nothing you can do about it.

"It may happen in 50 years or 100 years.

"We know that this shop is not going to be here forever.

"Sea levels have always risen and fallen over history as we see in the rocks here, if we get more erosion we may be able to get more fossils, so there is an upside for us."