Weymouth cliff landslip is a timebomb for local residents

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Weymouth Residents Landslip Timebomb

The recent loss of nearly six feet of land from a cliff-top in Weymouth, Dorset has left residents convinced they are living with a ticking timebomb. This comes after a study has revealed that up to 40 homes could be cut off 20 years from now.

The two-stage landslip is the first elderly residents Heather and Ralph Craddick have experienced in 15 years of living in Old Castle Road. The lansslip leaves the Craddick's bungalow only 20 feet from the cliff edge - which has views to Portland Harbour's north west shoreline.

A neighbours shed, a wooden platform and steps leading down to Castle Cove beach together with part of a patio at the end of the Caddick's garden have all toppled over the edge.

81 year old Mrs Caddick said "I first noticed something was wrong when I saw more daylight at the bottom of the garden - Both the falls happened within a week and this is the first time we've seen any of the land move like this."

She also said "If we were younger we'd be concerned about what might happen to this house over the next few years - this won't make a great difference to us, but will have an effect on our children who will inherit this house from us."

The study produced in September 2008 by Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, showed that properties in Old Castle Road and Belle Vue Road and properties close to the Rodwell Trail are at risk from erosion over the next century. The council is currently producing a shoreline management policy which is estimated to be completed in spring 2010, having consulted with Defra, English Nature and the Environment Agency.

Earth sciences manager for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Richard Edmunds said "Some people have lived in these houses for 40 or 50 years and I sympathise with the residents - the irony is that these homes have such lovely views of a beautiful eroding coastline - the reason why the coast is so famous and important is because the fossils which are exposed by erosion - there is a real conflict between preserving the beauty of the shoreline and people and their property."

Richard Burgess, the councils coporate director of environment, said that the council had managed to secure funding from the Environment Agency to carry out extensive and detailed research of the Old Castle Road coastal region. He added "We will update residents as soon as we know if the study undertaken last year will initiate a change to the Shoreline Management Plan - if a resident does experience this kind of problem on their own land they should contact  the council, we can offer advice on how best to deal with the issue and feed it into our research."

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