Canford Cliffs
Cliff works, Pavilion Café & beach huts
The Project
A programme of planned investment in new seafront infrastructure and beach huts at Canford Cliffs, due to start in 2017, was postponed due to a cliff slip below Cliff Drive that same year. Following an extensive period of planning and monitoring, a 9-month, £2.5 million cliff stabilisation scheme was completed May 2021 [more below].
Work now focuses on the conversion of the pavilion building into a cafe with refurbished public toilets.
Pavilion Café
Progress update: Planning permission granted 13th January 2022
The proposal to enhance this part of the seafront would enable the facility to be used and enjoyed by many more people, more often and by a wider cross-section of the community and includes provision of new shelter for use by open water swimmers.
The specific scope and phasing of any future works at Canford Cliffs will now be considered by the Council’s Seafront Development Board, as part of a wider programme of investment in coastal infrastructure.
The refreshed plans, May 2021
Following feedback on the July 2020 planning application to convert the Canford Cliffs pavilion (APP/20/00765/F) plans were refreshed and re-submitted in 2021, to include:
- a shelter
- a beach terrace
- new level access to the pavilion building achieved by raising the level of the prom rather than installing a ramp, which avoids narrowing the width of the prom
Cliff stabilisation works
Completed May 2021
Following the cliff slip in 2017, an extensive period of planning and monitoring, specialist contractor, CAN Geotechnical was appointed to deliver a £2.5m cliff stabilisation scheme, which commenced September 2000 and was completed May 2021.
Over 1,600 soil nails were installed with matting and steel net to stabilise the cliff face. On behalf of BCP Council and CAN Geotechnical we would like to thank you for your patience and co-operation throughout the works.
- Technical details of the cliff stabilisation works can be found at twobays.net
Hydro-seeding and Planting
The cliff face has been coated with a special mix of native wildflowers and grass seed. It will support the natural re-growth that has already begun to support our important wildlife habitat. Some native trees will also be planted on the Cliff Drive greenspace towards the end of the year, when they have the best chance to thrive.
Much of the greenspace has Special Nature Conservation Interest designation (SNCI) so we need to let it regenerate naturally until the Autumn. Temporary fencing will be placed in small sections of Cliff Drive cliff top to help the vegetation re-grow.
Re-instatement works & Access
The work on the clifftop pathway and fence is complete, with a small route deviation around the location of the 2017 cliff slip. Benches will be returned from their safe storage to the cliff top and prom. The zig-zag path to the beach is now open.
Damage to the road, kerb and footpath has been repaired and the original row of timber bollards replaced. Gullies have been repaired and cleaned.
Beach Huts re-opening
Some beach huts blocks have been closed since the cliff slip in 2017. Now the cliff face work has been completed, we can give the Seafront Operations team safe access to survey, maintain and spruce up the huts before they can welcome their beach hut tenants again!
It’s likely that blocks will be released one at a time, in a sequenced way, as they become ready again.
The Beach Hut team will be contacting tenants directly with more information.
FAQs
In February 2017, at Canford Cliffs, a section of cliff approximately 10m wide x 0.5m deep eroded and slipped down the cliff face. This resulted in the closure of three blocks of beach huts directly below it, a temporary closure of a short stretch of Cliff Drive undermined by the slip, and the postponement of planned investment in new beach huts and seafront infrastructure.
The slip was large enough to warrant further investigation to establish the likelihood of further movement of the cliff. Following a period of cliff face monitoring (2017-19) the Council considered geology reports and available options prior to agreeing stabilisation works at a cost of approximately £2.5million.
Specialist contractor CAN Geotechnical was appointed to deliver the cliff stabilisation scheme. Over 1600 soil nails (up to 15m in length) were drilled into the embankment using long reach excavators from the top of the cliff and from the promenade below. Drill rigs were suspended from an anchor system installed along the top of the embankment.
- For more technical detail see poolebay.net
Investment from BCP Council, with a £400,000 contribution from the Coastal Communities Fund.
Site working hours are as follows:
- Monday to Friday 08:00 – 18:00
- Weekends 08:00 – 17:00
- CAN Geotechnical will work an 11 days on/3 days off shift pattern, i.e. alternating working Friday, Saturday and Sunday
We aim to manage and minimise noise levels as best we can throughout the works. We will be using special low noise level plant and installing noise barriers around static plant (such as compressors). We will programme the works as courteously as possible for residents, for instance avoiding noisier activities early in the morning and on Sundays.
The memorial benches that were temporarily relocated or kept in storage during the cliff repair works will be re-installed. Bench sponsors have been contacted directly with further information.
Specific FAQs for Beach Hut tenants
Blocks 1 to 8 at Canford Cliffs beach huts (Hut numbers 1-72). All huts in Block 3 were temporarily removed and stored off site to allow access to the base of the cliff. They will be returned to the prom once works are complete and the huts can be enjoyed again.
No, only temporarily during the works.
Unfortunately, we do not have the availability to offer alternative Beach Huts.
Your Beach Hut licence will be frozen from the date that access to your Beach Hut is prohibited. No licence fee payments will be taken by our Finance department while your licence has been frozen. Once works are complete, we will contact you to provide a date from which you can access your Beach Hut once again. It is from this date that your licence payments will re-commence.
A planning application has been made to refresh permission to convert the Canford Cliffs pavilion shelter building into a café with new public toilet facilities. This includes building 4 additional beach huts and refurbishing the 4 existing huts above the Canford Pavilion. This work was due to start in 2017 but had to be placed on hold due to the cliff slip and subsequent monitoring.
Cliff stabilisation works – www.poolebay.net
Canford Cliffs beach huts and pavilion shelter:
Beach Hut Blocks 1-4+
Beach Hut Blocks 5-9 & zig-zag path+
Beach Hut Blocks 9-11 & Pavilion+Canford Cliffs beach pavilion and promenade:
The art deco style beach pavilion+
The beach pavilion+
Canford Cliffs beach+
At the corner of Canford Cliffs Chine+
At the corner of Canford Cliffs Chine+
Existing beach hut design+Artist’s impressions of this scheme:
+
+Project Details
- Total Budget £7.3 million
- Funding BCP Council, with a £400,000 contribution from Coastal Communities Fund
- Project Lead Anthony Rogers, Head of Seafront
Part funded by the Coastal Communities Fund coordinated by the Dorset Coast Forum
