Knights Brown was appointed to complete the stabilisation of the cliff face below the Pines Hotel, which has been progressively falling into the sea for many years.

Carried out in conjunction with engineers CH2M Hill, the project won the National Ground Engineering Award in 2017 (for a UK Project with a Geotechnical Value of between £1M and £3M).

The hotel owners first had work carried out to the cliffs in 2013. The phase two works required the completion of the drainage installed at that time and its extension to cover the area of the phase two works. Also involved was the formation of a new footpath and steps leading from the hotel down to the reinforced concrete beach hut platform.

We constructed a platform comprising 5,000 tonnes of locally sourced rock and stone walling, measuring 12m x 60m, against the cliff face as a safe working platform for the piling rig.

Further logistical challenges were presented by restricted access to the beach, which was required for the transfer and movement of heavy machinery and materials to and from the site.