RESIDENTS of a seaside town have called for action over the

“alarming” erosion of a cliff, which they claim leaves them

vulnerable.

They say landslips in Sidmouth mean the rock-face is

crumbling much faster than predicted, posing a potential danger

to properties above.

Councillor Stuart Hughes said that six metres (20ft) of

rock-face had been lost over recent years, and said the erosion

had already reached a level not anticipated until 2011.

“It's very worrying. If we get a severe south-easterly

(gale), then the eastern side of Sidmouth would certainly be

threatened by severe flooding. There would be nothing to

prevent it, because Sidmouth is seriously exposed to all the

elements from that direction.”

And he warned that the Almer Bridge, a “lifeline” for

residents in eastern Sidmouth, could eventually be under

threat.

Coun Hughes said cliff falls this year were bigger than in

the past, which he suggested could be a result of heavy

rainfall as the rock had no natural drainage and the sandstone

absorbed water.

Some residents with clifftop gardens have already seen trees

fall over the edge.

Coun Hughes warned that a disused railway tunnel running

beneath the surface could soon be exposed, causing a major

landslip. The tunnel was built to bring rock to build a harbour

– but it was too small for the trains and so was never

used.

“The rock face can't be too far away from that tunnel, and

that could cause serious problems.”

A spokesman for East Devon District Council said the issue

was “complex” because of environmental matters and funding.

The council did not own much of the beach, nor the cliffs,

but had arranged studies in the past in the interest of public

safety. A decision to take any action would be made by the

Environment Agency and Defra.

He added: “One of the overriding issues is to preserve the

natural landscape. In the case of the cliffs at this point,

their natural state is that they are made of softer materials

than some other cliffs and so they will be subject to

collapse.

“This may sound odd, but it is a fact. This is one of the

unique features that make the East Devon coastline so

attractive to tourists, as part of the World Heritage

Coast.

“While funding is clearly another important factor, it is a

combination of these factors that would determine what actions

were taken. To illustrate the position the council is in, even

if the residents themselves decided to fund protection works

and were able to find the money, they might find they could not

go ahead because of policies and plans upheld by other agencies

such as Natural England.”

He said the results of two major studies which could help

inform a decision were expected.

“In the meantime, the council is continuing to monitor the

situation with regard to cliff falls. Signs are in place

warning people on the beach.”