Holderness Cliffs 2
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Download SMP documents
The information on this website represents the current SMP management approaches adopted by the local authorities within its area, and current actions needed to deliver them. These management approaches have been approved by the Environment Agency under its Strategic Overview for coastal flood and erosion risk management and are considered to be local policy.
The documents below provide the full SMP adopted locally and approved by the Environment Agency at the time of publication. Some of the information has changed in response to new government policy, new evidence or new work identified.
Data on this page
Main report
Non-technical Summary
About this subsection
The Holderness cliffs extend about 60km from Sewerby to Easington and range from less than 3 metres up to around 40 metres in height. The cliffs are made up of silts and clays with the oldest parts of the cliffs formed approximately 130,000 to 300,000 years ago.
The cliffs are eroding rapidly at average rates of between 1 and 4.5 metres per year. The process of erosion along the Holderness cliffs is not new and has been occurring since the end of the last ice age. Over the last 1,000 years, the Holderness coast has retreated by around 2 kilometres, causing the loss of 26 villages listed in the Domesday survey of 1086.
Bridlington forms the main settlement to the north of this area, with Hornsea, Withernsea and Easington forming the other main residential areas. Smaller villages such as Skipsea and Mappleton are complemented by isolated properties next to the shoreline. Many tourism and recreation sites with associated infrastructure are also situated on and behind the shoreline along the Holderness Cliffs. Agriculture is the dominant land use, extending to the cliff edge in most areas, with local coastal roads and other beach access points present at various points along the coast. The Easington gas terminal near the southern end of this area is a nationally significant infrastructure installation.
Hornsea Mere, and Easington Lagoons are legally protected for their wildlife and Dimlington Cliff for its geology. Much of the nearshore and offshore area of the Holderness coast is a Marine Conservation Zone.