Caravans moved as precaution after nearby cliff collapses
Published: 15:21, 18 April 2013
A section of cliff “the size of a sailing club” has fallen away in Minster, causing a holiday park to move caravans away from the edge.
The land slide, at Bell Farm Lane, Minster, happened over the course of the past two months and it is believed recent bad weather is to blame.
Four caravans at nearby Ashcroft Coast Holiday Park, Plough Road, have had to be relocated.
Although there was no damage to the site, its boundary has been moved back as a precaution.
Coastguard officers regularly look out for erosion on the coast.
Ian Goodwin, of the Sheppey branch, said: “There has been quite a large movement of the cliff which from the coastguard’s perspective simply means keep away.
“Imagine the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club just disappearing.”
He said the rainy weather this spring has contributed to the washing away of soil on Sheppey’s coast.
He added banks of soil are currently being put up to the south of the Island to defend against further erosion.
A smaller section of cliff fell away at the east end of the Island several months earlier.
Warden Springs Caravan Park, Thornhill Road, Warden, took similar precautions by moving three of its pitches away from the sea.
A spokesman for Park Resorts, which runs both the affected sites, said: “The natural cliff erosion has caused us to move back a few of our caravans and change the location of the perimeter fence in line with the conditions of our site licence.
“We continually monitor the cliff and the coastguard visits every other week to check the cliff edge.
“We have long been aware that Ashcroft Coast Holiday Park is located in an area where cliff erosion is natural and with this in mind we have plans in place for the future to ensure all our vans and facilities remains 100% safe and secure.”
A Swale council spokesman confirmed that a landslip was identified near Bell Farm Lane and it is investigating the area.
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