'No quick wins' after Hastings landslip - council

A landslip in Old Roar Gill in February forced two families to leave their homes

There are "no quick wins" to resolving the impact of landslips in Hastings, a council meeting has been told.

Residents were forced to flee their homes after a landslip in Old Roar Gill in February.

At a meeting on Monday, Hastings Borough Council discussed a specialist report on its causes and possible solutions.

Stephen Dodson, the council's head of strategic programmes, said the work required was "really complicated" and "not quick wins".

The report was produced on behalf of the council's insurance company by specialist consultants Diales.

It concluded that a "combination of factors" likely led to the February landslide.

It said the area's steep slopes, recent extreme levels of rainfall and leaking pipework may have contributed.

The report said further investigation is needed to understand the ground conditions before remedial stabilisation works can take place.

Mr Dodson told the meeting the work has not started, and a further survey was needed first, which it was waiting for a quote for.

'Very complex site'

He said those responsible for the council's cliff management works were in the process of working out costs and what was required to carry out remedial works at the "very complex site".

“These are really complicated; they are not quick wins and I wouldn’t want anybody to think that we are taking an action here which will be a quick resolution," said Mr Dodson.

Dr Hiteva said she suspected "no-one will be able to remortgage or sell their property" at Old Roar Gill

Ralitsa Hiteva is one of the residents forced to leave her home at Old Roar Gill due to an Emergency Prohibition Order and is now renting elsewhere.

She said she was still waiting to hear back on whether her insurance company would accept a claim.

Dr Hiteva, a senior research fellow at the University of Sussex, described the current situation as "like living in a nightmare".