STORMS and coastal erosion at Studland beach have left the National Trust with a £3.6 million bill.

The charity, which owns the beach, has to move beach huts, shops and the information centre to safe ground.

The threat has been highlighted by the National Trust in a long-term review of the coastline in its care issued today.

It says that action is needed now to adapt to the impact of climate change to the coast.

The trust highlights Studland, where beach huts have had to move to the car park, and the charity’s café and other beach-side facilities may also have to move for longer-term protection at an estimated cost of £3.6 million.

The update to the trust’s Shifting Shores research of 2005 identifies its coastal sites and features which are most at risk within the next 20 years.

It says there is a real problem at Studland where all visitor facilities including car parks, an information centre, catering and shops are seriously threatened by storms and coastal erosion.

Vulnerable All 258 beach huts are also extremely vulnerable.

The beach attracts about a million people each year and the task of relocating facilities is made harder by trying to find new sites within a reserve which has an array of international and national nature conservation designations.

Trust Wessex director Brendan McCarthy said: “We are very keen to share what we have learned with others as what the trust is facing will be mirrored across much of the UK’s coast.

“There is a host of public and private sector organisations and individuals with a stake in the future of our coast.

“Everyone needs to wake up to coastal change and begin planning co-ordinated responses on how to adapt to the inevitability of sea level rise before it is forced upon us.

“The trust cannot work in isolation and the publication of today’s document is one step in encouraging everyone to work together in responding to the challenges.”

Musician Billy Bragg, a Dorset coast trust volunteer, added: “It’s so important to raise public awareness of changes we as volunteers are seeing on the coast due to climate change to help encourage politicians to tackle this issue more directly.”