Work is underway to remove more than £1million worth of cliffside beach huts that are at risk of falling into the sea.
The 43 wooden cabins huts at Hordle Cliff, Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, were ‘abandoned’ to the elements by the local council after officials decided against shoring up sea defences.
The huts, that are worth about £25,000 each, were battered by winter storms and left either badly damaged or at risk of falling into the sea.
As it is not possible to take out insurance on the huts the owners have been left out of pocket.
And to add insult to injury they are being asked to contribute for the work to remove them which requires machinery to winch them up and take them away.
While people own the huts, they pay the council as land owner a licence of about £800 a year.
This fee will be used to cover the costs of the removal work and those who were due a refund will have £300 taken out of it.
Owners blame New Forest District Council’s ‘do nothing’ approach to coastal erosion for the loss of their beloved huts.
The 43 wooden cabins huts at Hordle Cliff, Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, were ‘abandoned’ to the elements by the local council after officials decided against shoring up sea defences
The huts, that are worth about £25,000 each, were battered by winter storms and left either badly damaged or at risk of falling into the sea
Pictured: Jeannie Medd beside her damaged beach hut
James and Helena Cox bought their hut in 2002. It has been deemed ‘at risk’ by the council and they were only told it would be removed in May.
Mr Cox, a naval architect, had used his expertise to make his hut more secure from being battered by storms.
He said: ‘My family and myself are disappointed to lose it, although we were not surprised given the council’s aversion to manage risk and general lack or will to find a workable solution.
‘My hut wasn’t damaged, or particularly at risk in my judgement. I deal with designing structures to survive environmental loading on a daily basis so I’m perfectly qualified to make this assessment’
He said he secured his hut by driving galvanised scaffold poles into the shingle at each corner and secured them to the base of his hut. He also installed diagonal braces to resist wind and breaking waves.
‘Since losing my original hut in the Valentines storm of 2014, I have not sustained any notable damage,’ he added.
‘Securing a beach hut to withstand storm force winds and waves overtopping the sea wall is simply an engineering problem, and not a particularly difficult one.
‘The real reason our licences were revoked is because the council are risk averse and simply lack the will to manage the risks.
‘They should have allowed the owners of huts inland of the sea wall to keep their huts at their own risk, while advising a basic level of securing the huts to the beach.
Work is underway to remove more than £1million worth of beach huts that have been condemned due to coastal erosion
While people own the huts, they pay the council as land owner a licence of about £800 a year
Owners blame New Forest District Council’s ‘do nothing’ approach to coastal erosion for the loss of their beloved huts
‘I can deal with the storms, it was always NFDC I worried about.’
Paul Major, of the New Forest Beach Hut Owner’s Association, said: ‘Having been in that situation, it is a massive loss, some owners have had their huts through the generations.
‘There is nothing that can be done about saving the huts at Hordle Cliff. The toe of the cliff has been eroded away by the constant battering of the fierce seas’.
Major explained that the cliff has become further unstable with the amount of rain that has soaked into the face and then been dried by the hot weather.
‘There is nothing that can be done to halt the force of nature,’ he said.
‘There was requests made to the council over the years to permit some sort of sea defence and these have all been denied due to the policy within its Shoreline Management Plan.’
Jeanie Medd and her sister Valerie Webb shared their hut which they inherited from their mother Freda Doe.
It had been in the family for at least 40 years, but was damaged in Storm Herminia in January this year.
She said: ‘It was a hub for my family, it represents being with my mum. It is the end of an era really.
‘It was really badly damaged in Storm Herminia – all the contents went, the door got washed off, it was horrible.
As it is not possible to take out insurance on the huts the owners have been left out of pocket
Paul Major, of the New Forest Beach Hut Owner’s Association, said: ‘Having been in that situation, it is a massive loss, some owners have had their huts through the generations
To add insult to injury owners are being asked to contribute for the work to remove them which requires machinery to winch them up and take them away
‘I was absolutely devastated. We had a close shave last year and patched it up but we knew it was on borrowed time.
‘We’ve got used to the idea it was being removed now. We have been going down and sitting in the three walls that are left. And once they’ve removed it we will still go to that bit of beach’.
Medd said she received a refund for the months after it was damaged but the cost of removal was deducted from the sum.
‘We tried to do it ourselves but it was just impossible,’ she added.
‘I know there was a lot of people complaining, but I don’t blame the council. We always knew this was a possibility.’
The latest removal work comes after 31 huts were taken away from the same beach in June last year.
New Forest District Council said it has no statutory duty to undertake coastal erosion risk management measures at any coastal site.
The section at Hordle Cliff is undefended and any measures introduced would only slow, not stop erosion and would cost about £4million.
The latest removal work comes after 31 huts were taken away from the same beach in June last year
The council also said Storm Herminia in January this year was believed to be the strongest to hit the UK in at least ten years, causing a lot of erosion and cliff destabilisation
Pictured: James and Helena Cox beside their beach hut
The estimated costs for the wider frontage from Hordle Cliff to Milford-on-Sea would be about £22milliom.
The council also said Storm Herminia in January this year was believed to be the strongest to hit the UK in at least ten years, causing a lot of erosion and cliff destabilisation.
Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability at New Forest District Council, said: ‘We have every sympathy with those who have experienced impacts at this very challenging coastal area and have actively engaged with hut owners and the New Forest Beach Hut Owners Association.
‘Beach erosion and cliff movement caused by winter storms has damaged some beach huts and caused others at the eastern end of Hordle Cliff to be at greater risk from future storms.
‘We advise anyone considering buying a beach hut or other asset on, or close to, the coast to consider the risk before purchasing. People are welcome to contact our coastal team to understand the risks.’
