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Appendix 4 - Site condition assessment and recommendations summary

Part of the ERUGGp briefing document for planning.

Taken from The Geological Heritage of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark: Condition Assessment and management recommendations for Torbay’s Geosites. 

It should be noted that the recommendations and actions below are based on site conditions as of 2019 and are therefore reviewing and updating these against the current condition of each site at the time of a planning application will be required. Additionally, more information, photos and comments can be found in the full report.

Babbacombe Cliffs SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Babbacombe Cliffs GCR site (Marine Devonian), Oddicombe GCR site (Permian-Triassic) (ESCC categories: Inland Outcrops (EO), Coastal Cliffs and Foreshore (EC)).

Unit 1: Exposures of Torquay Limestone Fm. in coastal slope, Babbacombe Downs (EO): Unfavourable-no change

Unit 2: Exposures of Oddicombe Breccia behind Oddicombe Beach infrastructure (EO): Unfavourable-declining

Unit 3: Foreshore and cliff exposures of ‘Babbacombe Shales’/ Half Tide Rock (EC): Favourable- maintained

Unit 4: Coastal cliffs and landslip in Oddicombe Breccia Fm. (EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 5: Coastal Cliff and coastal slope exposures, Petit Tor Point (EC/EO). Favourable-maintained

Recommendations and action points

  1. Initiate survey of exposures of Barton Limestone, etc. in wooded slopes of Unit 1 to identify key exposures for future clearance and maintenance programme. Winter survey is recommended when vegetation levels are low.
  2. Survey exposures of Oddicombe Breccia in Units 2 and 4 and identify key areas to maintain as exposure and/ or restore exposure (including through vegetation clearance). Winter survey is recommended when vegetation levels are low.
  3. Development of on-site and downloadable interpretation and educational materials for site visitors (including better positioning of existing sign-board/ boards). Developing links with beach café, etc, could be successful.

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Barcombe Mews CGS

Overall assessment: Favourable–maintained

Interest Feature: Permian (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED)).

Recommendations and action points

  1. Identify contact point for quarry access and management (e.g. Resident’s Group).
  2. Ensure that vegetation and any tipped material is regularly cleared and face is inspected for any potential safety issues.
  3. Provide information for local residents and visitors on the significance of site and liaise over levels and type of access which would be considered acceptable.
  4. Re-digitisation of site boundary necessary to include documented interest features (Action Point added 2023)

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Barton Quarry CGS

Overall assessment: Unfavourable – declining

Interest Feature: Marine Devonian (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED ); Inland Outcrops (EO))

Recommendations and action points

  1. Identify contact point for quarry access and management (e.g., Resident’s Group) and Discuss significance of site with owners and managers to ensure aims of designation and management are fully understood.
  2. Initiate survey of site to document surviving features and identify key areas for scientific study and vegetation clearance. Winter survey advised when vegetation is low.

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Berry Head to Sharkham Point SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable–maintained

Interest Features:  Shoalstone GCR site (Permian-Triassic); Sharkham Point to Berry Head CGS (Marine Devonian, Permian, Mineralogy, Quaternary) (ESCC categories: Coastal Cliff and Foreshore (EC), Disused Quarries and Pits (ED), Finite Mineral, Fossil Or Other Geological Features (FM), Karst (IK), Caves (IC), Static (Fossil) Geomorphological (IS)).

Unit 1: Exposures of Sharkham Point Mb., Sharkham Point in cliffs, foreshore and coastal slope, including mineralisation: (EC): Favourable–maintained

Unit 2: Exposures and talus of St. Mary’s Bay Mb., St. Mary’s Bay in cliff, foreshore and coastal landslip (EC): Favourable–maintained

Unit 3: Exposures of Berry Head Mb. (including structural geology features), in cliffs, shore platform and coastal slope around Berry Head (EC): Favourable–maintained

Unit 4: Exposures of Berry Head Mb. (Brixham Limestone Fm.) in Berry Head Quarry (ED): Favourable–maintained

Unit 5: Exposures of Berry Head Mb. with Permian sandstone dykes in cliffs and foreshore of Shoalstone Beach (EC): Favourable–maintained

Unit 6: Exposures of iron ore deposit of Sharkham Mine in coastal slope (ED): Favourable–maintained

Unit 7: Raised Beach and platform at Shoalstone Beach (IS): Favourable–maintained

Unit 8: Caves and passages in and under Berry Head (IC/ IK): Not assessed

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that any proposals for coastal protection or other engineering works or development do not lead to the loss of key geological features, in particular around Shoalstone Beach and in St Mary’s Bay.
  2. Discourage unsustainable recreational fossil collecting to ensure that specimens remain available for other visitors to see.
  3. Ensure that the conservation of bats in caves and other biological features is fully integrated with geoconservation objectives.
  4. Promote the production and implementation of a Cave Conservation Plan for the Berry Head Caves.

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Breakwater Quarry, Brixham CGS

Overall assessment: Unfavourable - declining

Interest Features: Permian (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED)).

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that vegetation growth is controlled and clearance undertaken to re-expose key areas of the site, for instance along the NE face (N.B. clearance of developing vegetation, especially trees, may improve long-term quarry face stability and hence safety – advice from appropriate technical specialist recommended).
  2. If site clearance can be achieved, educational and interpretative use of the site can follow.

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Brokenbury Quarry, Churston Ferrers CGS

Overall assessment: Not assessed

Interest Features: Structural Geology (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED)).

Recommendations and action points

  1. Establish site access and complete condition assessment.
  2. Ensure that vegetation growth and engineered stabilisation has not or does not lead to loss of exposure.
  3. Investigated potential for improved access for educational and research groups in features of interest remain or can be recovered.
  4. The original CGS boundary from 1994 does not conform to the current site layout – a new survey to document existing features followed by digitisation of a revised boundary is now required (Action Point added 2013)

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Brixham Cavern CGS

Overall assessment: Not assessed (no public access)

Interest Features: Quaternary (ESCC categories: Finite Mineral, Fossil or other Geological Feature (FM)

Recommendations and action points

  1. Establish site access and complete condition assessment.
  2. Initiate full engineering and environmental survey of cave to determine what measures might be required to stabilise conditions,
  3. Incorporate recommendations of survey into a Cave Management Plan and implement

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Chapel Hill, Torre CGS

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Marine Devonian, Permian (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED); Road, Rail and Canal cuttings (ER); Inland Outcrops (EO)).

Unit 1: Chapel Hill road cutting (ER): Favourable – maintained

Unit 2: Chapel Hill Quarry (ED): Favourable - maintained

Unit 3: Chapel Hill gardens (EO): Unfavourable – no change.

Recommendations and action points

  1. Maintain roadside exposure (Unit 1), including removal of local surface coating, as practical.
  2. Develop appropriate educational provision, including use of viewpoint. Consider including linked safety fencing along key areas of roadside exposure.
  3. Winter survey of the woodland area is recommended to assess the scientific significance of the outcrops of Devonian limestone.

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Churston Cove to Churston Point CGS

Overall assessment: Favourable maintained

Interest Features: Marine Devonian, Structural Geology (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED); Coastal Cliffs and Foreshore (EC); Active Process Geomorphological (IA)).

Unit 1: Brixham Harbour Quarry (ED): Favourable – maintained.

Unit 2: Battery Gardens -Churston Cove (EC): Favourable – maintained.

Unit 3: Fishcombe Point to Elberry Cove (EC): Favourable – maintained.

Unit 4: The Grove-Marridge Wood quarries (ED): Unfavourable – no change

Unit 5: Churston Point (EC): Favourable – maintained.

Unit 6: Churston Cove Beach (IA): Favourable – maintained.

Unit 7: Elberry Cove (IA): Favourable – maintained.

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that coastal defence and other engineering or development works do not lead to a net loss of key exposures, in particular in the Brixham Harbour area.
  2. Survey coastal exposures not accessible form land, including disused quarries, to identify any key features that have not been documented.
  3. Develop educational and interpretative provision, for instance through collaboration with beach cafes.
  4. Ensure that Structural Geology, Quaternary and Coastal Process features are also safeguarded (Action Point added 2023)

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Daddyhole SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable - maintained

Interest Features: Daddyhole GCR site (Marine Devonian) (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED ); Coastal cliff and foreshore (EC)).

Unit 1 - Triangle Point (EC): Favourable – maintained.

Unit 2 – Daddyhole Quarry (ED): Favourable – maintained.

Unit 3 – Daddyhole Cove (EC); Favourable – maintained

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that cliff stabilisation does that prejudice key exposures, whilst improving safe access to Triangle Point.
  2. Place signs and/or interpretation to help protect sensitive exposures from irresponsible attempts to collect specimens.
  3. Provide/ excavate steps to improve safe access for visitors to Triangle Point exposure, including marking recommended walking areas to reduce any potential damage to rock surfaces (e.g., polishing of key fossil-bearing surfaces).

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Dyers Quarry SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable - maintained

Interest Features: Dyers Quarry GCR site (Marine Devonian) (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED ); Coastal cliff and foreshore (EC)).

Unit 1: Dyer’s Quarry (ED): Favourable-maintained

Unit 2: London Bridge and sea cliffs (EC): Favourable-maintained

Recommendations and action points

  1. Place signs and/or interpretation to help protect sensitive exposures from irresponsible attempts to collect specimens.
  2. Consider improving access for guided visitors, in conjunction with safety works on slopes/ rock faces above.

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Goodrington Quarry and Road Cutting CGS­

Overall assessment: Unfavourable -d eclining

Interest Features: Marine Devonian, Structural Geology (ESCC categories: Road, Rail and canal cuttings (ER); Disused cuttings and Quarries (ED)).

Unit 1 - Goodrington Cutting East: Unfavourable -declining

Unit 2 - Goodrington Cutting West: Unfavourable -declining

Unit 3 - Goodrington Quarry: Unfavourable -declining

Recommendations and action points

  1. Due to the very poor condition of the site, survey is essential (for instance in winter when vegetation is low) to determine if it is recoverable. Examination of the overgrown sections in the adjacent Waterside Road to the east is also recommended as preliminary examination during this survey indicated the presence of fossiliferous horizons (which are no longer easily accessible within the CGS).
  2. Topographical mapping and aerial images from 2023 – as incorporated in this report – suggest that the development observed from Location 5 lies outwith the CGS Boundary. Investigation of the area is nevertheless advised to confirm the extent to which any further development in this might have the potential to impact on Unit 3 [Note added in 2023].

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Hollicombe Head to Corbyns Head CGS

Overall assessment: Partially destroyed

Interest Features: Permian (ESCC categories: Coastal Cliffs and Foreshore (EC)).

Unit 1-Hollicombe Head: Favourable-maintained

Unit 2-Hollicombe Beach: Partially destroyed.

Unit 3-Livermead Head: Favourable-maintained.

Unit 4-Corbyn’s Head: Favourable-maintained.

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that no further cliff stabilisation and foreshore works lead to the loss of key exposures through liaison with TC (including investigating solutions to beach closures, etc)
  2. Investigate potential for re-instatement of some areas of exposure at Hollicombe Beach.
  3. Develop educational and interpretative potential of publicly accessible areas.

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Hopes Nose to Walls Hill SSSI (including Black Head to Anstey’s Cove CGS and Hopes Nose CGS)

Overall assessment: Favourable - maintained

Interest Features: Hopes Nose GCR site (Marine Devonian); Long Quarry GCR site (Marine Devonian); Hopes Nose GCR site (Mineralogy); Hope's Nose and Thatcher’s Rock, Devon GCR site (Pleistocene-Quaternary of SW England); Black Head to Anstey’s Cove CGS (Igneous rocks), Hopes Nose CGS (Structural Geology) (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED); Coastal cliff and foreshore (EC); Finite Mineral, Fossil or other Geological Feature (FM); Static (Fossil) Geomorphological (IS)).

Unit 1-Hope’s Nose Quarry, including rock faces and talus (Marine Devonian (GCR) Structural Geology (CGS)) (ED): Favourable-maintained

Unit 2: Hopes Nose rock-platform exposure (Marine Devonian (GCR); Structural Geology (CGS)) (EC): Favourable-maintained.

Unit 3 –Hopes Nose sea-cliff (Marine Devonian (GCR); Structural Geology (CGS)) (EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 4-Long Quarry rock platform and adjacent coastal cliff (Marine Devonian) (ED): Favourable-maintained

Unit 5–Long Quarry rock faces (Marine Devonian) (ED): Favourable-maintained

Unit 6-Redgate Beach cliffs (Marine Devonian) (EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 7-New Quarry, Walls Hill (Marine Devonian) (ED): Unfavourable –no change.

Unit 8-Shelter Cove to Bathing Cove cliffs (Marine Devonian) (EC): Not Assessed.

Unit 9-Black Head to Anstey’s Cove (Igneous Rocks/ Marine Devonian) (EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 10–Shennell Cove, Hopes Nose (Marine Devonian)(EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 11-Hope Cove to Brandy Cove (Marine Devonian)(EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 12–Hopes Nose (Mineralogy of SW England) (IM): Partly destroyed.

Unit 13–Hopes Nose Raised Beach (Pleistocene/ Quaternary of SW England) (IS): Favourable-maintained

Unit 14–Thatcher’s Rock Raised Beach (Pleistocene/ Quaternary of SW England) (IS): Not assessed.

Recommendations and action points

  1. Investigate potential ‘re-opening’ of footpath to Redgate Beach.
  2. Improve interpretative and educational provision across the site to aid management. Collaboration with beach café proprietors may be productive.
  3. Monitor Hopes Nose quarry and rock platform area and periodically clear rubbish/ take legal action against those responsible. In particular, the lighting of fires on limestone outcrops must be deterred as it can be extremely damaging.
  4. Ensure that geological sampling is only for research and educational purposes. N.B. no sampling of fossiliferous etched limestone surfaces at Hopes Nose, Long Quarry and New Quarry should be considered acceptable unless there is an exceptional justification. Collecting of fossils from loose material in Hopes Nose Quarry is, however, permissible for educational reasons, providing that rare species are deposited in an appropriate institution.
  5. Initiate regular inspection of Mineralogical Interest at Hopes Nose (e.g., monthly/ bimonthly) and take immediate legal action should any new collecting/ excavation take place.
  6. Further survey of the New Quarry area is necessary to confirm the continued presence of some of the fossiliferous features recorded by Scrutton (1978) which were not seen during the current survey (e.g., Hexagonaria)
  7. Investigate potential to replicate areas of etched coral-stromatoporoid-rich limestone outcrop and Hopes Nose and elsewhere to safeguard features against damage/ abrasion and provide materials for research and public display.
  8. Arrange boat access for survey of Thatcher’s Rock and sections of the sites not readily accessible from land.

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Kents Cavern SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Kents Cavern GCR site (Pleistocene-Quaternary of SW England) (ESCC categories: Finite Mineral, Fossil or other Geological Feature (FM); Caves (IC), Disused Quarries and Pits (ED).

Finite Mineral, Fossil or other Geological Feature (i.e. fossiliferous cave deposits) (FM): Favourable-maintained

Caves (IC) (i.e., physical structure of the cave system): Favourable-maintained

Recommendations and action points

Following from the above, the Cave Conservation Plan in place will determine priorities for management of the Cave system. Crucially, the document includes a detailed five-year conservation plan identifying necessary ongoing conservation practice and setting targets.

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Lummaton Quarry SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Lummaton Quarry GCR site (Marine Devonian) (ESCC category: Disused cuttings and Quarries (ED)).

Unit 1–Lummaton Quarry rock faces and access corridor defined by fencing (ED): Unfavourable-declining

Unit 2-Lummaton Hill, Exposure of Lummaton Shell Bed facies on platform at top of quarry (IM): Favourable-maintained

Unit 3–Quarry floor occupied by industrial units and adjacent areas: Partly destroyed.

Recommendations and action points

  1. Commission survey, for instance funded by industrial Estate management to identify key geological features within Unit 1 and Unit 3 as a guide to future use of the site, including clearance of key exposures.
  2. Ensure that former access to both upper and lower levels of quarry is re-instated including by controlling vegetation growth and maintaining gated access at base and enforcing 5m clear-zone agreed with EN in 1999.
  3. Ensure that users of industrial units do not dump materials within the geological site boundary fence –ensure that TC enforces compliance.
  4. Monitor Unit 2 to ensure that no unconsented collecting takes place, involve operators of industrial units as observers if possible.

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Meadfoot Sea Road SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Meadfoot Sea Road GCR site (Marine Devonian) (ESCC categories: Coastal Cliff and Foreshore (EC); Inland Outcrops (EO)).

Unit 1–Manor Gardens (former sea-cliffs, with tree and scrub cover, behind coastal road) (EO): Unfavourable-declining.

Unit 2-Meadfoot Beach (foreshore exposures in western and central part of beacs (EC): Favourable-maintained.

Unit 3–Kilmorie Cliff (and foreshore exposures) (EC): Favourable-maintained.

Recommendations and action points

  1. Initiate survey to locate other exposures of Meadfoot Group in Unit 1 and determine if these make a meaningful contribution to the scientific interest of the SSSI as a whole. If not, extension of the SSSI to include important fossiliferous sections to the East of the Kilmorrie site and denotification of most of the wooded coastal slopes may be appropriate.
  2. Ensure that any further proposals to renovate or repair Meadfoot Sea Road or Ilsham Marine Drive below Kilmorie, adequately consider the geological interest.
  3. Incorporation into self-guided trails and provision of interpretation appropriate, including in collaboration with beach cafes.

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New Cut SSSI

Overall assessment: Unfavourable-declining

Interest Features: New Cut GCR site (Marine Devonian) (ESCC category: Road, Rail and Canal Cuttings (ER)).

Unit 1–New Cut: Unfavourable declining

Recommendations and action points

  1. Identify ownership of roadside banks/ former cutting.
  2. Improve and maintain exposure, following initial survey to locate fossiliferous features (ideally during winter when vegetation is low).
  3. Ensure that any sampling is only for scientific purposes as the exposure is very small.

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Petitor-Maidencombe CGS

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Marine Devonian, Permian (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED), Coastal Cliffs and Foreshore (EC), Inland outcrops (EO)).

Unit 1–Petit Tor Point: Coastal Cliff and foreshore (Marine Devonian) (EC):Favourable-maintained

Unit 2–Petit Tor Quarry: Disused Quarries and Pits (Marine Devonian) (ED):Favourable-maintained

Unit 3–Petit Tor Beach Coastal Cliff and foreshore (Marine Devonian, Permian) (EC):Favourable-maintained

Unit 4–Petit Tor Combe (EO): Inland outcrops (EO):Unfavourable -no change

Unit 5–Roundhouse Point to Smuggler’s Hole: Coastal Cliff and foreshore (Permian)(EC):Favourable-maintained

Unit 6–Watcombe Beach: Coastal Cliff and foreshore (Permian)(EC):Favourable-maintained

Unit 7–Watcombe Head to Maidencombe to Herrings Cove; Coastal Cliff and foreshore(Permian)(EC):Favourable-maintained

Unit 8-Giant’s Rock, Watcombe: Inland outcrops (EO):Unfavourable -no change

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that the collection of samples from in-situ is only for scientific and educational purposes (including of Permian trace fossils and mineralised fault structures).
  2. Initiate survey of Petit Tor Combe to locate key geological exposures and clear vegetation to improve access. Winter survey is advised, when vegetation levels are low.
  3. Investigate management of the Giant’s Rock area and investigate if some vegetation clearance is permissible, for instance of young growth trees, to better reveal the former cliff.
  4. As the Giants Rock locality (=Unit 8) may lie outwith the CGS boundary, revision of the boundary is recommended (note added 2023)

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Quarry Woods Quarry, Cockington CGS

Overall assessment: Unfavourable -No change

Interest Features: Marine Devonian (ESCC categories: Disused Quarries and Pits (ED)).

Recommendations and action points

  1. Clear vegetation and maintain exposure
  2. Investigate potential for educational use

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Roundham Head SSSI

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Roundham Head GCR site (Permian-Triassic) (ESCC categories: Coastal Cliff and Foreshore (EC); Inland Outcrops (EO)).

Unit 1–Roundham Head Cliffs: Coastal Cliffs and Foreshore (EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 2-Little Beach: Coastal Cliffs and Foreshore (EC): Favourable-maintained

Unit 3–Roundham Hand gardens: Inland outcrops (EO): Favourable-maintained

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that cliff stabilisation and foreshore works do not prejudice key exposures, inc through liaison with TC and owners of cliff-top properties.
  2. Due to location within one of the most visited areas of Torbay, the area has a great potential for interpretation, especially as some exposures are accessible beside surfaced paths

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Saltern Cove SSSI/Crystal Cove to Goodrington CGS

Overall assessment: Favourable-maintained

Interest Features: Saltern Cove GCR site (Marine Devonian); Saltern Cove GCR site (Permian-Triassic)) / Crystal Cove to Goodrington CGS (Mineralogy, Structural Geology, Igneous rocks, Pleistocene-Quaternary) (ESCC categories: Coastal cliffs and foreshore (EC); Finite Mineral, Fossil Or Other Geological Feature (FM); Finite Buried Interest (FB)).

Unit 1–Broadsands to Crystal Cove coast: Coastal Cliffs and Foreshore (EC) (Mineralisation, Permian, Structural Geology): Favourable-maintained.

Unit 2-Crystal Cove (FM) (Mineralisation, Permian, Structural Geology): Favourable-maintained.

Unit 3–Shell Cove -Saltern Cove coast (EC) (Marine Devonian, Igneous): Favourable-maintained.

Unit 4–Saltern Cove Goniatite Bed (FM) (Marine Devonian): Favourable-maintained.

Unit 5-Waterside Cove to Goodrington coast (EC) (Marine Devonian, Permian, Structural Geology): Favourable-maintained.

Unit 6–Goodrington Sands: Finite Buried Interest (Pleistocene-Quaternary): Favourable-maintained.

Recommendations and action points

  1. Ensure that coastal defence and other works do not threaten bedrock exposures or Quaternary deposits, especially key features.
  2. Encourage geological / archaeological survey / study of submerged forest deposits, including to delineate their extent and hence inform beach management activities.
  3. Monitor key palaeontological and mineralogical features regularly (e.g., at least seasonally) to ensure that damaging specimen collecting is not taking place (e.g., Crystal Cove mineralised features, Saltern Cove Goniatite Bed and Taenidium blocks and exposures between Waterside Cove and Goodrington Sands.
  4. Develop procedure and reach agreement to collect key loose blocks with Taenidium, or parts of key surfaces, remove them to a safe location for further study and use for educational and interpretative activities.

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