Concerns about further landslips in Rye were discussed with the Minister for Water and Housing Emma Hardy on Monday 15 December. The meeting also heard worries about mortgage and insurance difficulties for property owners affected by both landslips and flood risk. Col Anthony Kimber, Leader REACT – Rye Emergency Action Community Team – took part in the discussions and has this update.
For some months we have been talking with MP Helena Dollimore about the possibility of meeting with the Minister for Flooding, Emma Hardy, to talk about landslip risks on inland escarpments. This followed the event in February 2024, when there was a significant landslip to the north of Military Road, Rye.
Although such landslips have been occurring around Rye since medieval times, the sandstone escarpments around Rye – part of the Wealden Group of sands and clays – which were once cliffs washed by the sea, now present risks, particularly after the more frequent heavy rainfall events which are occurring because of climate change. The root cause of landslip is “landslide hydrology”.
On 15 December, we met with the MP at Portcullis House and then walked to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to meet the minister, Emma Hardy. The MP had brought together representatives from both Hastings and Rye to discuss the issue. The meeting took place against a background of the local events in 2025.
In Rye, the recent landslip of the escarpment has been stabilised by company Optera using specialist engineers and equipment. In St Leonards, the community has formed a group called Hydraulic Activity Stabilisation Training Enterprise (HASTE) to tackle the issue using community skills.
At the meeting we outlined the risk and discussed the relevant government policy, such as the national strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM), the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for new buildings. It was agreed that events involving “inland escarpments” are not well covered, with responsibilities falling to owners (either public or private domain). This can make remedial work difficult, particularly when insurance companies decline to help or where there is no cover. After an event it is almost impossible to secure insurance cover at a cost effective premium and to avoid the affected property declining in value.
For cases impacted by flooding there is a scheme called Flood RE. This government-backed scheme allows home insurance for flood risk areas. A similar scheme would be welcome for places where landslip is a risk.
In St Leonards, a community group has taken action to help protect their homes from landslips. HASTE explained that it had begun installing sensors to monitor a cliff (inland escarpment) system in Hastings and St Leonards, following landslides in the area. These continuously measure vibration and water pressure in the soil – two key factors that geologists know can trigger landslides.
What was achieved? First, the minister had been briefed in detail, with key issues underscored at the meeting, meaning that this issue was now on the government agenda. Although the minister made clear that there was no commitment to any government financial responsibility, there were private sector avenues signposted, to be investigated, both for landslip incidents and separately the possibility of mortgages for those in flood risk zones. We asked for DEFRA formal advice and endorsement of the community pilot scheme under way and she committed to consult her experts.
Separately, the MP sits on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) scrutiny committee, in which role she has asked for landslips to be considered in 2026. We have already provided evidence for that committee.
Importantly Rye and Hastings have pledged to cooperate on the issue, particularly with regard to sensors, data sharing and perhaps in contracting a local capability for escarpment stabilisation. The last will depend on approval for that approach.
We can expect to hear more about this in 2026.
Image Credits: Anthony Kimber , Helena Dollimore .