THOUSANDS of tons of rock are set to be used to save one of the country's most picturesque coastal villages.

Engineers have warned that the protection of the beauty spot of Runswick Bay, near Whitby, is vital because it could face being abandoned because of erosion and landslides caused by battering of the North Sea. There are 96 homes and 17 non-residential properties at risk from erosion of the coast, it is revealed in a report.

In a major report to next week's meeting of the cabinet of Scarborough Borough Council, councillors will be told: "Once the seawall has failed the access road and paths to the majority of the properties in the lower village would be lost – this is estimated to happen within three to 10 years."

The council's chief executive, Jim Dillon, says in the report that £1,040,000 has been offered towards the work in a flood and coastal defence grant from the Environment Agency, with a further £100,000 coming from the Runswick Bay Coast protection Trust to carry out a defence scheme at the northern seawall in the popular tourist village which is featured on calendars and chocolate box lids world wide.

In addition the cabinet is being recommended to appoint a consultant and a contractor to carry out the work.

Mr Dillon says: "Runswick Bay has a long history of slope instability, the first failure happening in 1682 when the whole village, which was then further north, collapsed towards the shore. Successive landslips of varying severity occurred in 1873, 1953 and 1958."

A road had to be abandoned in 1961 and a replacement built. But there were further landslips and rock falls in the 1970's. A mass concrete sea-wall was built in 1970 to protect the southern part of the village, access road and car park. But it later moved out towards the sea due to earth pressure from slope failures behind the wall.

"The primary causes for concern of Runswick Bay are the on-going risks of seawall degradation, toe erosion and stability of the slops behind the deteriorating defences in the north of the village. Failure or loss of even part of the existing defence structures could have serious and relatively rapid implications.

Wave-over topping is also a problem in the village with damage being caused to properties.

Extensive consultation has been carried out, says Mr Dillon, with many organisations including English heritage, the National Trust, North York Moors National Park Authority, Crown Estates, Natural England and Environment Agency.

"The issues at Runswick Bay will be exacerbated over time with climate change. As sea levels rise, increased water depths will result in larger waves propagating further up the beach and cause greater damage to the existing defences," he adds.

Councillors will be told that the best option to defend the village will be to use rock armour which will be placed at the toe of the seawalls and extend up to 40 metres north of the seawall at Upgarth Hill.

"This option would provide protection to the toe of the seawall to limit out-flanking, undermining and scour," the report adds.

Mr Dillon said that regarding the use of rock armour, villagers at Runswick Bay support it.

"To this end the Runswick Bay Homeowners Association have formed a sea defence trust and are making their own financial contribution towards the project," says Mr Dillon.

He says there are no plans to use borough council funds on the scheme which would be fully funded through Environment Agency grant aid and contributions.

"The preferred defence scheme option would reduce the risk of seawall failure in the short, medium and long term and reduce wave over-topping for residents in Runswick Bay.

"Consequently the risks to residential and commercial properties and other infrastructure would be significantly reduced and alleviate much of the stress and anxiety felt by residents and property owners, particularly as the rock apron would provide visual reassurance," he adds.