Public Footpaths: Coastal Areas

(asked on 31st January 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of each of the sections of the English coastal path which have been completed; what is the estimated cost of each of those sections which have not yet been completed; and what were, or will be, the sources of funding.


This question was answered on 20th February 2019

The England Coast Path (ECP) will be a 2,700 mile walking route around the coast of England. Natural England have been allocated £25.6m between 2015 and 2020 to deliver the England Coast Path.

A summary of progress on each of the 16 open or approved stretches is included in Table A and B. The 50 unopened stretches are summarised in Table C. Estimated cost of establishment works and opening dates are provided where known.

The ECP proposals are within scope of a European Court opinion, known colloquially as People over Wind (PoW), which was handed down in April 2018. The PoW opinion affects the way Natural England manage the impact of their proposals on sites with nature conservation designations. As such, the PoW court ruling has impacted on delivery of the path to date and will continue to have an impact moving forward.

In light of this judgement and progress to date the 2020 delivery date is being reviewed. Natural England continue to work towards opening as much of the path as possible by 2020.

To date the delivery programme has cost £18million. Establishment costs have been funded through grant in aid to Natural England. From 2018/19 Rural Development Programme for England funding has been available for local authorities to meet the cost of establishment.

Table A - Open stretches

Stretch name

Opening date

Length in Miles

Establishment Costs (Actual)

Rufus Castle to Lulworth Cove

29/06/2012

20

£25,000

Allonby to Whitehaven

11/04/2014

22

£67,813

North Gare to South Bents

12/04/2014

34

£51,306

Sea Palling to Weybourne

12/12/2014

25

£64,301

Brean Down to Minehead

15/03/2016

58

£381,506

Camber to Folkestone

19/07/2016

29

£19,123

Folkestone to Ramsgate

19/07/2016

37

£99,994

Filey Brigg to Newport Bridge

21/07/2016

68

£65,221

Hopton On Sea to Sea Palling

24/10/2016

21

£79,901

South Bents to Amble

26/07/2018

44

£223,048

358

£1,077,213

Table B - Unopened stretches undergoing building works

Stretch name

Opening date

Length in Miles

Establishment costs (Estimated)

Skegness to Mablethorpe

27/02/2019

16

£80,484

Newport Bridge to North Gare

TBC

10

£528,979

Whitehaven to Silecroft

TBC

32

£415,949

Walney Island

TBC

21

£233,679

Ramsgate to Whitstable

TBC

25

£31,574

Maldon to Salcott

TBC

27

£46,099

131

£1,336,764

Table C - Unopened stretches

Region

Opening date

Length in Miles

Establishment costs

(Stretches)

South West

TBC

548

(8)

TBC

West

TBC

140

(4)

TBC

South

TBC

276

(7)

TBC

South East

TBC

208

(6)

TBC

Essex

TBC

266

(8)

TBC

East

TBC

261

(7)

TBC

North East

TBC

212

(5)

TBC

North West

TBC

302

(5)

TBC

TBC

2213

50

TBC

Reticulating Splines