Maintaining inland and coastal assets is an integral part of our work
We monitor all BCP Council coastal defence assets using industry standards set by the Environment Agency. This helps us assess an asset’s condition and prioritise future interventions, subject to funding.
September 2026
Christchurch beaches – maintenance works
Following a successful funding bid to the Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee, a £380,000 programme of maintenance works are underway at Christchurch beaches. The works are supported by Christchurch Town Council and BCP Council.
Existing groynes will be strengthened and beach material will be recycled westwards from Highcliffe where it has accumulated.
For further details please visit the Christchurch beaches maintenance works project page.
Completed maintenance projects
June 2026
Failed aids to navigation replaced at Sandbanks & Christchurch beaches
For safety reasons, our contractor Jenkins Marine have replaced five failed Aids to Navigation (AtoN) – two at Sandbanks beach, opposite the beach office and opposite Midway Path, and three at Christchurch beaches – Gundimore, Avon Beach and Friars Cliff. Our photos show the failed and replacement AtoN at the groyne opposite Midway Path, Poole.
March-June 2026
Protective coating for sheet piles in Sterte Channel, Poole
Sterte Channel is a flood defence structure that carries surface water from Oakdale and Sterte into Holes Bay. Its heavy-duty steel sheet piles had become corroded between high & low water marks and repairs have been carried out to blast and repair the steel to extend their life by another 15-20 years.
The channel was dewatered to allow access to the piles for blasting, with metal corrosion byproducts & waste water collected to prevent contamination of the bay. The repaired piles have been coated with a protective paint layer to a height of 1.8m. Works were carried out by Suttle Projects. Project costs (approx. £535,000) were funded via Environment Agency grant in aid, including £170,000 of local levy funding from the Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee.
April-June 2026
Sand removal from property boundaries, Sandbanks
For safety reasons, sand was removed from the boundary wall along Loverose Way path (connecting Banks Road to the seafront). It had accumulated to an extent where the structural stability of the wall could have been affected. Guided by the BCP Ecologist, the sand level was carefully lowered by removing the vegetated layer, digging out the underlying sand and replacing the vegetation to maintain the habitat and improve sand stability. The removed sand was placed at the eroded toe of the beachfront dune to help its recovery following winter storms.
Loose sand was also removed from where it had accumulated against protective panelling on the beach in front of the Storm apartments. The work was pre-approved by BCP Council’s ecologist.
For information on a study to develop an improved approach to managing the sand dunes here please visit:
Sandbanks Dune Management Study 2024-2026 | South West Flood and Coastal
April 2026
Metalwork removed from the beach between Shore Road & Canford Cliffs
Works were undertaken during low tides to remove metal that was exposed on the beach by recent storms.
The columns – remnants of former beach groyne structures – have been cut level and capped at seven locations at Shore Road, Flaghead, and Canford Cliffs beaches.
January/February 2026
Gabion basket repairs at the base of Hengistbury Head cliff
A 50-metre stretch of gabion baskets at the headland was repaired to replace aged and exposed wires and improve their performance in retaining naturally occuring falling cliff debris.
Given the site’s important environmental and scheduled monument status, the works, delivered by Earlcoate Construction, were carefully planned with the guidance of Hengistbury Head countryside and archaeological team, with vegetation carefully removed and kept for re-use wherever possible.
July 2025
Kinson Dam borehole investigations
Kinson Dam is an important asset to manage inland flood risk in Kinson. When full, in times of stormy weather, the dam contains more than 3000m³ of water. To ensure it continues to function effectively, we carried out ground investigations including borehole sampling. The data collected will be analysed to help better understand how the dam structure interacts with groundwater and determine future maintenance requirements.
May 2025
Aids to navigation – 2025 Annual Inspection passed
Local Aids to Navigation across the coastline of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole were inspected by Trinity House on 8 May 2025. The groyne markers were assessed to be overall in good and efficient order, with only minor defects noted for future maintenance works.
If you see a damaged or missing marker, please report it via coastal@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
March 2025
Beach gabion storm damage repair works – Southbourne Beach
Repairs have been made to the storm damaged wire gabion baskets at the lower section of the sand ramp that leads from the beach towards Solent Beach car park.
March 2025
Aids to navigation repairs – Avon Beach, Christchurch
Two aids to navigation at Avon beach have been repaired by Earlcoate. Using low tides the works replaced one groyne marker and one top mark.