COASTAL erosion at some of Yorkshire’s best loved seaside towns and villages is to come under the microscope in a new study which is also asking residents how they would tackle the problems.

Studying the extent of cliff slippages on the coast is an ongoing process but the exercise announced by Scarborough Council yesterday will focus on hotspots such as the Whitby Abbey headland, and tourist honeypots such as Robin Hood’s Bay.

Also targeted will be the settlement of Ravenscar and along the shore between Hundale Point at Cloughton to the Whitby Abbey site.

A public display to introduce the strategy will be on view between 5pm and 7pm on Thursday, May 7, at Fylingdales Village Hall in Robin Hood’s Bay.

The exhibition will give people the opportunity to ask questions about the project and to view the environmental data and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Everyone is welcome to attend.

The project is expected to take about 16 months and is funded by the Environment Agency to develop the policy for the management of this stretch of the coast in the short, medium and long term.

Over the years it has been a frequent criticism by residents that judging risks to homes from the sea is far too dependent on armchair reports by consultants.

But Scarborough Council’s head of technical services, John Riby, underlined they would be looking very much to local people to help provide solutions.

He said: “The council is leading on this, assisted by specialist consultants and would like to encourage as many local people and residents of the areas to get involved.

“They can attend the public meeting and contribute any local knowledge and views that may be useful in the development of the strategy.

“We need to fully understand the characteristics of the area covered by this strategy in order to promote the right solutions for coastal management.”

For further information contact Robin Siddle, Scarborough Borough Council’s assistant coastal and flooding engineer, by email on robin.siddle@scarborough.gov.uk

Story by Mark Branagan in the Yorkshire Post