FAQs and Glossary

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Beach material, such as shingle and sand, can be naturally moved along the coast through a number of coastal processes, such as longshore drift. If the beach material is being used as part of a coastal defence strategy, as at Preston Beach, then this material occasionally needs to be moved back to where it originated from. This is beach recycling. No new material is being added to the beach.

For more information on terminology, please see our scheme Glossary. 

Beach recycling last took place on Preston Beach over 10 years ago. Since this time the beach material has moved North Eastwards towards Bowleaze Cove through a number of coastal processes. This has led to the area of the beach around Greenhill rock groyne reducing in width and height. If this process continues the underlying hard engineering, such as rock armour and sea walls, could become exposed at times of high tides and storms leading to it becoming damaged and therefore putting the surrounding area at risk from flooding.   

The beach recycling scheme is taking place now as it is the optimum time between the main tourist season, when the beach is busy with beach users, and the period where the coast experiences most storm events. High winds and waves could lead to delays in the scheme and thus a more prolonged beach closure. 

During this period of November there are several low tides in the middle of the day. This is an optimum time for delivering the work most efficiently. 

The undertaking of beach maintenance and recycling works is informed by beach monitoring, and with reference to the trigger levels defined in the Beach Management Plan (BMP).

The beach material will be moved from the Bowleaze Cove end of the beach back to the Greenhill rock groyne area using a large dumper truck, 2 excavators (diggers) and a large bulldozer. The machinery will be locked up securely in 2 compounds when not in use. One near the Greenhill rock groyne and the other down near the Bowleaze Cove end of the beach. The contractor for the scheme is Stonbury. 

The recycling scheme is likely to take 2 weeks depending on weather and sea conditions and other factors. 

While the works are ongoing, large areas of the beach and promenade may have reduced access for public safety reasons. This will include weekends. Please follow all signage and instructions from site staff.  

The work will take place from the Greenhill rock groyne down to the beach that is in line with Bowleaze Cove car park. No beach recycling will take place on Bowleaze Beach itself.

The bathing water quality and clarity of the sea may decrease for a short time immediately after the scheme has taken place due to fine sediment, disturbed during the operations being in suspension in the sea. This will be temporary and similar to the impacts experienced during a winter storm when beaches are eroded and sediment is disturbed. 

Furzy Cliff, between Cafe Oasis and Bowleaze Cove, is a natural cliff and is undefended. The cliff is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The cliffs are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site due to their geological exposures and as such cliff slumping is an important aspect of maintaining the geological and ecological interest. The operation will remove some material from the beach at the base of Furzy Cliffs, with a drop in height of the beach seen as the main effect, rather than a significant loss in beach width.

Retreat of the cliff is mainly caused by weathering and poor groundwater drainage rather than erosion of the cliff base by waves. The retreat rates are approximately 0.75-1m per year, and this may increase slightly after the scheme. In reality cliff top retreat occurs as infrequent, large scale mass movement events every several to tens of years.