Christchurch Beaches Maintenance Works 2026

A programme of maintenance works for Christchurch beaches to strengthen the existing groynes and recycle existing beach material.

Project overview

Following a successful funding bid to the Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee, supported by BCP Council and Christchurch Town Council funding, a £380,000 programme of maintenance works is underway at Christchurch beaches to strengthen 10 existing groynes, recycle beach material from Highcliffe, and carry out some minor concrete repairs at Steamer Point storm water outfall.

Works started on 7 September 2026 and are anticipated to last 7 weeks (depending on weather and tides). Normal working hours will be between 7am-7pm on weekdays. The works are tidal, so some working outside of these hours may be needed to make use of best available tides.

Project updates

w/c 28 September

29 September: work has been completed on four of the 10 existing groynes due for strengthening

w/c 21 September
The new rock is being transported along the beaches to the appropriate groynes ready for installation with groyne works ongoing.

• The small groyne at the western end of Friars Cliff beach has been protected with additional rock armour.
• The slipway revetment at the Steamer Point wave wall has had additional rock armour placed to reinforce the revetment toe protection.
• Friars Cliff groynes F6 (Steamer Point, below) and F4 are complete.
• F2 (Friars Cliff) is being worked on at low tides and will be finished during inter tidal periods.
• Working westwards, the works access gap in groyne M13 (between Avon Beach and Friars Cliff) will be closed and the groyne strengthened with additional new rock armour.
• Progress will then be made westwards, placing the temporarily stored rocks at M11, M10, M8 towards the Avon compound location before de-camping to Highcliffe.

w/c 14 September
Works to the first groyne at Gundimore, nearest Mudeford Quay is complete.

Rock armour deliveries continue to arrive at the Avon Beach site compound. Rock is transported on site to the appropriate groynes ready for installation. Groyne works are underway at Avon Beach, next to the Noisy Lobster Coffee Cabin.

w/c 7 September
The site compound was set up at Avon Beach and rock deliveries began. The first groyne to be strengthened was at Gundimore, near Mudeford Quay.

The works

• Groyne strengthening – 10 existing groynes will be strengthened with new rock armour. This new rock will reinstate an effective functioning groyne height and effectively retain beach material, slowing down the natural process of beach erosion and west-to-east longshore drift. Rock armour placement is a highly precise engineering process designed to dissipate wave energy through its gaps while remaining stable. To achieve this, individual stones cannot just be piled up; they must interlock tightly on multiple contact points.
• Beach recycling – a moderate amount of built up beach material will be moved westward from Highcliffe to top up nearby beaches. The scale of the recycling will be determined by beach profiles at the time of the works.  Logistics for the works at Highcliffe are being planned in co-ordination with the Highcliffe Ramps project.
• Minor concrete repairs will be carried out on the Steamer Point storm water outfall.
• Failed Aids to Navigation (AtoN) will be replaced. Funded separately, urgent maintenance works to 3 AtoN were undertaken in June 2026

Safety & beach access

The beach will remain open throughout the works but some areas may need to be temporarily cordoned off for safety. There will be machinery movements along the beach and rock storage required throughout this time. Please follow on site safety signage and keep dogs on leads when near machinery and works.

Additional nearby works

The refurbishment of East and West beach ramps at Highcliffe is due to begin mid-September and is anticipated to take approx 12 weeks. These works are designed to improve accessibility and pathway drainage, and are carried out by BCP’s Construction Works team. To minimise disruption one beach ramp will remain open to beach users while work is underway on the other ramp – project details at Improving Access to Highcliffe Beach | bcpseafront.net

Project background

• A Certificate of Lawful Use/Development was granted on 20 February 2026 Planning Application P/25/04730/CLP | BCP Register     
• Potential impacts to the environment were assessed before works commence, in liaison with statutory agencies including Natural England and the Environment Agency. A Habitat Regulations Assessment and a Water Framework Directive Assessment considered impacts to the three protected tern species (common tern, little tern and sandwich tern). They also assessed impacts to the River Avon and its protected species such as Atlantic salmon, brook lamprey and bullhead) and their associated habitats. These assessments concluded that there should be no impact to the features of these designations.