Houghton Green Cliff

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.9690, 0.7487

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ930224 Unfavourable Declining 0.14 2022-03-30

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Sandstone

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Description The old undercliff here exposes the upper fluviatile top fan delta division of the Cliff End Sandstone Member of the lower Wadhurst Clay Formation lower Hastings Beds Group. This is complementary to the site at Winchelsea which exposes the lower pro fan delta division of the Member. The member has been mismapped here as upper Ashdown Sand Formation by BGS. This is a key site for the study of the sandstone bodies in the Hastings Group clay formations.