Lyme Regis Cobb: More cash needed for erosion repairs

The historic Cobb acts as a breakwater and protects the Lyme Bay area from coastal erosion and flooding

More money is needed to repair an eroding Grade I listed breakwater, a council has said.

The Cobb in Lyme Regis needs to be strengthened but Dorset Council said the £3m budget for repairs was no longer enough due to rising inflation.

Alternative funding options to find an extra £1.5m are being explored by The Cobb Stabilisation Scheme.

Without the work, the authority said 100 properties would be at risk of flooding.

The curved stone pier is being monitored for damage by the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management team

In recent years, the historic Cobb has been subject to erosion, wave impact on the outer harbour wall which has caused the movement of stone blocks, and the deterioration of the structure on the inner harbour wall.

Dorset Council previously raised concerns that it "would no longer work as a breakwater by 2044".

The Environment Agency provided £2.5m towards the original scheme, with Dorset Council funding a further £500,000.

But the council has now blamed the budget increase on the "rising costs of construction works" and inflation.

It is not yet known whether the changes will delay the project, which was expected to start in summer 2024.

The council said there was currently no additional risk to the public or businesses operating on the Cobb.

The tourist site has been used as a location in several films, including Wonka which is set for release in December