46 beach huts at Hordle Cliff in Milford to have New Forest District Council licences terminated

WINTER storm damaged and cliff erosion has led to the loss of a further 46 beach huts at Milford.

Confirming that it will terminate the licences of 46 huts in the eastern section of Hordle Cliff, New Forest District Council said staff were trying to contact affected owners ahead of notices being issued.

The news comes less than a year after 25 unsafe and damaged huts were removed by NFDC from the coastal beauty spot, in a major operation which involved cranes and heavy machinery.

Now this spring a further 46 huts, worth around £25,000 each, are set to go – with no option for the owners to replace them.

Owners pay an annual licence fee to NFDC of between £662 and £956 for their hut at Hordle Cliff, but are responsible for all repairs and maintenance.

NFDC does not have a statutory duty to undertake and deliver flood and coastal erosion risk management measures at coastal sites. There are no defences at Hordle Cliff, the authority has not undertaken any flood and coastal erosion risk management activities in that section of the coastline.

Because the coast is not actively defended the impacted huts had become increasingly vulnerable to erosion and ground movement. In January huge waves and flooding caused by storms Herminia and Eowyn resulted in the destruction of at least a dozen beach huts.

Last winter NFDC closed a section of the cliff and a beach access point after storm damage made the area unsafe for the public to access.

As previously reported in the A&T, beach hut owners fear a lack of action to tackle coastal erosion will see many more huts destroyed in the next decade.

Brockenhurst College lecturer Paul Major represents beach hut owners at Hordle Cliff as a member of the New Forest Beach Hut Owner’s Association.

He said: “In 10 years I imagine there will be half the huts left that we have now.”

“Once the council deems that they are no longer stable and cannot be replaced, owners are asked to remove them.”

Paul paid £25,000 for his hut in 2017 and just two years later it was lost to the sea.

An NFDC spokesperson confirmed: “Beach erosion, cliff movement and large waves have damaged huts and put a number of huts at risk.

“Unfortunately, 46 beach huts are having their licences terminated.”

“We are currently going through the process of contacting all of the affected owners by telephone to advise of this difficult decision. This is prior to sending out formal notices of termination.”

The news comes just weeks after Milford resident Mark Jardine proposed a radical plan that could see private individuals and businesses funding coastal defences in a bid to save the remaining beach huts.

The scheme would involve installing hundreds of boulders along a section of existing sea wall at Hordle Cliff, and may see the beach recharged and the eroding cliff stablilised.

Under the proposal – a ‘Save Milford Beach’ group would be formed to look at funding options for the project. Mark said: “I know it wouldn’t be cheap – my educated guess would be around £250,000 to carry out the work – but the alternative is far more costly.”

Businesses, locals and beach hut owners could sponsor the cost of a boulder, and with 250 pledges the project could be funded. Mark said: “I know there are many local businesses with an interest in tourism that would support this.”

To find out more about the Save Milford Beach project email: savemilfordbeach@gmail.com