Cliff safety improvements could take two years

Work to improve safety and stabilise a landslip-hit cliff could take up to two years, according to planning documents.

Stabilisation work, due to begin in September 2026, is being funded by a £3m government grant and will involve demolishing buildings and removing the overhang to make safe the area below East Cliff in Bournemouth, Dorset.

The East Cliff Lift has been out of operation since a landslip in 2016, which damaged its track, leading to the removal of the lift cars.

There are no plans to reinstate the lift due to a lack of funding, said East Cliff and Springbourne ward councillor Sara Armstrong, adding that it was "heart-breaking that this has been neglected for so long".

According to the proposal by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council, some of the lift mechanisms will be salvaged and reused in future if the lift is reinstated.

The planned work is due to complete by March 2028 at the latest, a year later than expected, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Two temporary construction compounds would be set up at the top of the cliff, on East Overcliff Drive, and on the promenade below, during the work.

The planning documents include an application for a lane closure along East Overcliff Drive and state that public parking spaces may be temporarily lost or relocated.

Armstrong said: "This work will protect vital access to enjoy our beautiful beach and is important for tourism."

She recalled using the lift as a child to access the beach, adding: "I know how missed it is by residents in my community, especially elderly or mobility impaired.

"In its day, the funicular railway was quite the thing. It is heart-breaking that this has been neglected for so long."

The councillor said confirmation on exact dates was still to come from the council, "as this application is planned to finish a year after originally expected."

The proposal is in public consultation until 15 April.