Much-Loved Seaton Hole Tree Saved for the Community Through Local Partnership

A much-loved fallen tree at Seaton Hole – a familiar coastal landmark admired by residents and visitors alike – is to be carefully retained and repurposed for the community, thanks to a strong partnership between East Devon District Council (EDDC), South West Flood and Coastal (SWF&C), contractors Mackley, and the Seaton Chamber CIC.

The tree, which came to rest on Seaton Beach several years ago following cliff erosion, has become a well-known and frequently photographed feature of the coastline. As part of the Seaton Coastal Protection Scheme, it was originally due to be removed to allow for essential rock installation to protect the cliff.

However, following discussions between project partners and Seaton Chamber, an alternative plan was developed to recover and preserve the tree for future use as a community artwork.

Carl Northcott, Chair of Seaton Chamber CIC, explained:

“We were invited by EDDC to take part as a local stakeholder in the coastal works, and through that involvement we spotted the potential to do something special. Our first aim was simply to save the tree — with the hope that it can later be turned into something meaningful for Seaton.”

With support from Mackley, the tree will be carefully transported to Axe Yacht Club, which has generously offered temporary storage space until it can be moved to a local workshop for carving and creative reuse.

Steve Inman, Mackley Site Manager, said: “We were pleased to support the local community in preserving the fallen tree at Seaton Beach. While our role as coastal engineers is to protect the coastline from flooding and erosion, we always try to support communities around our projects. By volunteering our time and machines, we were able to carefully remove and relocate the stump of the tree to help safeguard an important part of Seaton’s local heritage.”

The Chamber envisions the project as a ‘for the community, by the community’ creation — something that captures Seaton’s character, heritage, and coastal identity. The design and eventual display location will be developed with community input over the coming months.

Cllr Geoff Jung, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment - Operations, said:

“This is a great example of partnership working in action. By coming together with the Chamber and Mackley, we’ve been able to deliver the essential coastal protection works and still preserve something that means so much to the local community. It shows how infrastructure projects can also create opportunities to celebrate local pride and identity.”

The Seaton Coastal Protection Scheme is being delivered by Mackley on behalf of East Devon District Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, through the South West Flood and Coastal (SWF&C) partnership. The works are designed to stabilise Seaton’s cliffs and protect nearby properties from coastal erosion for years to come.

Further updates about the recovered tree will be shared by Seaton Chamber CIC as the community project progresses.

Image: Seaton Hole tree (c) South West Flood and Coastal.