East Riding Coastal Monitoring Programme

Programme Aims

Created following the retreat of the last ice age some 10,000 years ago the East Riding of Yorkshire's coastline is probably the youngest and the most fragile of all UK landmasses. However, what makes the area particularly unique and of such special interest to so many people is its remarkable cliff erosion rate that averages between 1 to 2 metres a year.

Management of such a challenging coastline lead the Local Authority in the early 1950's to initiate a programme of cliff and beach monitoring, as prior to this date estimates for erosion rates could only be made using old maps or rather dubious anecdotal evidence. Initially this monitoring took the form of simple taped measurements taken from key locations to the cliff edge. From this humble beginning this information gathering process has steadily grown to keep pace with the rising technology and the increasing demand for such information.

With the advent GPS 'Global Positioning System' and airborne LIDAR surveying equipment it is now possible for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, who have now taken on this monitoring role, to bi-annually measure beach movements and cliff erosion rates along the entire 85 km's of its coastline.

With several popular tourist centres and numerous undefended cliff top villages, the management of its coastline leaves the East Yorkshire Council with a unique set of environmental as well as social issues. This rather unique set of problems has naturally become an area of intense study and research; as a consequence the Council's monitoring database has become a valuable resource for those wishing to obtain coastal information, whether for simple house purchase enquiries or more in-depth academic study.

If you find that the information you need isn't available on this website please contact the East Riding Council directly and they should be able to help.

www.coastalexplorer.eastriding.gov.uk