My house is falling off a cliff but I WON’T move out – flimsy wooden planks are the only thing keeping it upright
AN elderly woman is refusing to budge from her precarious clifftop home that's being held up by flimsy wooden planks.
Marian Walters, 80, who has called Priory Gardens in Folkestone home for the past 48 years, is standing her ground as her property dangles above a landslide-stricken slope.
The chaos started in January, when trees and debris began to tumble down the cliff.
Since then her home has been clinging on for dear life with nothing but flimsy wooden planks and 14-foot pilings to keep it from falling.
Marian told Kent Online: “I’m not going anywhere.
"I'm on a floating platform and I've got 14-foot pilings at the back of my drive, so even if the land did slip I would be okay.
"I am very happy here and I won't be moving for anyone. I have been made to feel safe."
Marian's defiance comes despite the Road of Remembrance being closed since January due to ongoing landslides, with a second slip hitting in February.
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Kent County Council has been scrambling to address the issue, and are working on ground investigation tests to prevent future collapses.
They have confirmed the road won’t be reopening anytime soon.
KCC is currently in the midst of extensive investigations.
Their investigations include removing trees and vegetation to assess the embankment, installing borehole sampling pits, and conducting critical testing to ensure the stability of the area.
This testing phase, expected to last three weeks, aims to ensure that such landslides won’t be a problem for another 120 years but until then, the Road of Remembrance remains shut.
For some locals, the road closure is more than just an inconvenience - it's a daily nightmare.
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Judi Varona, a frustrated resident of Marine Crescent, is feeling the pinch.
The 65-year-old said: "Getting from The Leas to The Harbour Arm and the Shoreline development is only accessible via The Old High Street.
"That's no good for disabled people as it's such a tough walk.
"We still don't know when the Road of Remembrance is actually going to reopen and that, of course, has made people cross and is something which is a real problem now.
"You can't easily drive up to Folkestone anymore and that's impacted me on a day-to-day basis.
"All the traffic has to come down Harbour Road and Tontine Street and that's if you are coming from Sandgate and Hythe too.
"It puts an extra 10 minutes on a one-way journey and that's not at peak hours."
Despite these frustrations, KCC remains adamant that the closure is essential for safety.
KCC have said that since mid-June, contractors have been undertaking pre-works in the Road of Remembrance and the adjacent route, The Bayle.
Tree surgeons have exposed the embankment by removing trees and vegetation to assess the situation.
Contractors have undertaken the excavation and installation of eight launch pits to allow for testing of borehole sampling and cone penetration.
Works began on Monday, 9 September.
Lasting for three weeks, they are carried out to test the material properties of a site to prevent further landslips.
The disruption has even impacted local events, such as the annual Folkestone half marathon, which will now follow an alternative route.
KCC’s cabinet member for highways and transport, Neil Baker, emphasised the importance of the road closure.
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He said: “A complex situation like this one ultimately leads to a complex solution.
"This is crucial for ensuring the future safety of the Road of Remembrance.”
Homeowners face cliff-edge chaos
Homeowners in Trimingham, Norfolk, are battling the elements as their properties teeter dangerously close to the cliff edge following a massive landslip.
A home at Cliff Farm had one corner of the house hanging over an 80ft drop to the beach below. Tyres and other debris have crashed onto the beach, adding to the scene of devastation.
Cliff Farm was on the market in 2018 for £175,000, with the caveat that potential buyers would need to pay in cash due to the property’s risky location. The house was described as a "ticking timebomb," sitting just 18ft from the cliff edge
COUNCIL RESPONSE
North Norfolk District Council has been in touch with the affected property owners since the latest cliff fall. Erosion has plagued Norfolk’s coast, with Trimingham and Hemsby losing several homes in recent years.
DISASTROUS PAST
Over in Hembsy an ex-soldier has dragged his home away from the cliff edge twice before abandoning it last November, reflecting widespread despair among locals.
Back in 2021, a landslide the size of a football pitch devastated the seaside village, Mundesley, causing extensive damage to nearby properties. Despite their homes being close to disaster, tenants in Mundesley refused to leave.
In February, a cliff crumble in Sidestrand led to warnings from North Norfolk District Council about the impact of relentless rain. Concerns over Trimingham prompted the Ministry of Defence to relocate the distinctive ‘golf ball’ radar station.
In December 2023, storms wreaked havoc, destroying five seaside cottages on The Marrams. Photos showed the cottages being demolished by machinery, leaving a trail of debris.
