Belton Way wall collapse after heavy rainfall

February 27, 2024

A section of collapsed wall in Belton Way is closed off to the public amid fears of a more substantial cliff slip.

Southend Council closed part of Belton Hills - off Marine Parade - earlier this month as engineers investigate the stability of the northern end of the cliffs The cliff frontages are predominantly formed of London Clay and have a long history of slope instability.

This instability derives from historical erosion processes causing the clay slopes to become over-steepened. Ongoing erosion and climate change contribute to further instability in the slopes.

This road is an important transport link between Leigh-on-Sea station in the south and Marine Parade in the north just above Belton Hills. Southend-on-Sea City Council’s highways department identified that these areas required a more substantial investigation and a remedial solution to provide long term stability. It secured government funding to pursue a more permanent stabilisation scheme for the highway.