Photo 3 (Return)

Cliffs and shoreline at Luccombe, 2001. Ancient landslides mantling the slopes behind the cliff top are gradually reactivating inland as the sea-cliffs retreat. A series of major rotational failures within Upper Greensand strata on a shear surface seated within the Gault Clay are involved. The village of Luccombe was developed in the 1930s on the ancient landslides and has been seriously affected by intermittent ground movements coinciding with particularly wet years, leading to damage and demolition of 15 of the original 37 properties. Management has involved improvements to the drainage and monitoring, including an automatically operating tiltmeter with alarm link. A full stabilisation scheme is not feasible at this site. Landslide debris and boulder aprons on the foreshore partially intercept north-eastward (left to right) drift towards Sandown Bay of sands and some gravels supplied by cliff erosion. The majority of sediments yielded are silts and clays that are removed seawards in suspension.