Case Study of Coastal Erosion and Coastal Defence:
The Holderness Coast, NE Yorkshire Coast
Where is the Holderness Coast? What is the problem?
The Holderness Coast is on the NE coast of the UK, facing the North Sea.
The coastline is mainly made up of cliffs (20-30m high), consisting of soft, easily eroded
boulder clay. Where the cliff line meets the Humber Estuary, a spit has formed due to the
change in the direction of the coastline - Spurn Head.
The cliff line is retreating at an alarming rate - greater than 1m / yr (fastest rate in
Europe) - 4km of land have been lost since Roman Times, including many villages and
farm buildings.
Easington Gas Station (a North Sea Gas terminal) is situated on the cliffs top and its
position is under threat.
Why is Cliff Erosion such a problem here?
1. The cliffs are made up of soft glacial material (Boulder Clay - made up of sands and
gravels). This is easily eroded by the waves and the cliffs are easily undermined.
2. The Holderness Coast is very exposed, approaching waves have a long fetch over the
North Sea.
3. The waves are mainly destructive - eroding the base of the cliffs (hydraulic action etc.)
4. Most of the Material eroded from the cliffs is washed out to sea, the rest is moved by
longshore drift - the beaches are therefore narrow and do little to protect the
coastline. (If the beaches were wider, the waves would break on the beaches reducing their
erosive power).
5. The coastline is threatened further by sea-level rise.
Attempts at Coastal Management along the Holderness Coast include:
use of groynes to trap moving beach material and provide a protective beach in front of the
cliff
the construction of sea walls and revetments as wave-resistant structures at the base of the
cliffs
artificial off-shore breakwaters like tyres and concrete blocks, forcing waves to break offshore.
sea wall used to protect Easington Gas Station (cost £4.5 million)
Due to extensive costs - only the most valuable areas of land are protected. Much of the area
is farmland which is not protected.
1. Mappleton
Situated approximately 3km south of Hornsea lies the village of Mappleton. Supporting
approximately 50 properties, the village has been subject to intense erosion at a rate of 2.0m
per year, resulting in the access road being only 50m from the cliff edge at its closest point.
Geology
Mappleton lies upon unconsolidated till. This material was deposited by glaciers during the
last ice age 18,000 years ago.
Coastal Features
The two rock groynes at Mappleton have helped develop wide and steep sandy beaches.
Coastal Management
In 1991 almost £2 million was spent on two rock groynes and a rock revetment to protect
Mappleton and the B1242 coastal road. Blocks of granite were imported from Norway for the
sea defences. The purpose of the two rock groynes was to trap beach material. As the result
of the coastal management a substantial beach accumulated between the groynes halting
erosion.
Problems for further down coast
Those living south of Mappleton village have experienced the 'knock-on' effects of the
coastal management.
The groynes at Mappleton have disturbed the natural longshore drift movement, trapping
the coastal material.
Therefore whilst material is still being moved south of Mappleton, there is no fresh
sediment to replace it.
Beaches have become even narrower and the cliffs are unprotected.
Estimates suggest that it has accelerated cliff erosion south of Mappleton to 10m / yr.
2. Hornsea
Location
Hornsea is a small coastal town located between Bridlington and Withernsea along the
Holderness Coast. A 2.9km stretch of shoreline fronts the town of Hornsea. A high density
urban development containing residential and various tourist related properties, Hornsea's
local economy is dependent on tourism and recreation as well as incorporating a small fishing
industry.
Geology
Hornsea lies upon unconsolidated till. This material was deposited by glaciers during the last
ice age 18,000 years ago.
Coastal Features
The groynes on Hornsea beach ensure wide and relatively steep beaches. The beach material
is made up of sand and shingle.
Coastal Management
The position of the coastline at Hornsea has been artificially fixed since existing coastal
defences were erected in the early 1900s. Hard defences in the form of a concrete seawall
and timber groynes afford protection and an on going refurbishment programme ensure this
has continued. More recently a stone gabion and steel reventment has been erected to the
south of Hornsea. This helps protect the caravan park.
3. Skipsea
Location
It is situated approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of Bridlington and 6 miles (9.7 km) north
of Hornsea on the B1242 road at its junction with the B1249 road. The Village is a typical
rural setting surrounded by rich agricultural land and yet sits close to the cliffs and the North
Sea. The village has its own Post Office and stores, a Village Store and tea rooms, a fish and
chip shop, Skipsea Service Station and The Board Inn Public Houses as well as offering
holiday accommodation like Mill Farm Country Park and Skipsea Sands Caravan Park to name
but two.
Geology
Skipsea lies upon unconsolidated till. This material was deposited by glaciers during the last
ice age 18,000 years ago.
Coastal Features
Beach material is being transported south along the Holderness Coast by longshore drift. In
Skipsea there are no groynes to reduce the transporation of erosion along this stretch of the
coast. Material is therefore transported south. Limited material is replenished due to groynes
trapping beach material at Bridlington which lies to the north of Skipsea.
Coastal Management
Coastal management at Skipsea is limited to a small concrete reventment protecting a
residential area
4. Spurn Head
Location
The area known as Spurn forms the southern extremity of the Holderness coast and includes
the unique feature of Spurn Head, a sand and shingle spit 5.5km long, reaching across the
mouth of the Humber.
Geology
Spurn is made up of the material which has been transported along the Holderness Coast.
This includes sand, sediment and shingle.
Coastal Features
Spurn Head is an example of a feature geographers call a spit.
(This is an aerial photograph of Spurn Head. It has been kindly donated by the Yorkshire
Wildlife Trust . Copyright is owned by the Trust)
The spit forms a sweeping curve which continues the line of the coast. The sand which forms
the spit has been transported along the Holderness Coast by longshore drift. The energy in
the waves transporting the material reduces where the North Sea meets the Humber Estuary.
As a result the material is deposited. This process is known as deposition.
5. Withernsea
Location
It is situated approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Spurn Point and 17 miles south of
Hornsea where the B1242 meets the A1033. The town is surrounded by rich agricultural land
and yet sits close to the cliffs and the North Sea.
Geology
Withernsea lies upon unconsolidated till. This material was deposited by glaciers during the
last ice age 18,000 years ago.
Coastal Features
The groynes on Withernsea beach ensure wide and relatively steep beaches. The beach
material is made up of sand and shingle.
Coastal Management
The majority of the Withernsea frontage is provided coastal protection in the form of concrete
seawalls and two rock reventments