King Charles III England Coast Path: Aust to Brean Down
Find out the progress of improving coastal access – including maps, process and timing – in the Severn Estuary.
Map of the stretch
Natural England is working to improve coastal access along a 80 km stretch of the Severn Estuary between Aust and Brean Down.
Officers from South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North Somerset and Somerset are providing Natural England with expert local advice during the establishment of the route.
Old Passage to Wain’s Hill, Clevedon
Stage 5: Open
This 37.2km (23.1miles) stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP) is now open to the public. Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Aust to Brean Down stretch on Thursday 20 July 2023, by order of the Secretary of State.
The route is available to view on the National Trails website.
Beach Road car park (Sand Bay) to Brean Down Fort
Stage 5: Open
This 21.52km (13.4 miles) stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP) is now open to the public. Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Aust to Brean Down stretch on Thursday 16 June 2022, by order of the Secretary of State.
The route is available to view on the National Trails website.
If you are planning a walk on the KCIIIECP, check our interactive access maps for details of local access restrictions and coast path diversions which may apply at certain times.
Coastal access rights normally apply to all land that is coastal margin - including any land seaward of the route - unless it falls into a category of excepted land.
Use the links below to see details of the Secretary of State’s decision to approve Natural England’s proposals and for guidance on your rights and responsibilities if the KCIIIECP passes through your land.
Severn Bridge to Old Passage
Stage 5: Approved
This section has been approved but is not yet available for public use. Work to establish the route is currently taking place.
Wain’s Hill to Beach Road Car park (Sand Bay)
Stage 5: Approved
On 3 May 2024 the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced their decision to approve this section of the King Charles III England Coast Path.
Natural England’s proposals are still available to view.
You can see the current status of the collection in the table.
| Report number and title | Stage 5 (approved) |
|---|---|
| ABD 1: Severn Bridge to New Passage | 23 June 2022 |
| ABD 2: New Passage to New Pill Gout | 9 July 2020 |
| ABD 3: New Pill Gout to Avonmouth Bridge | 9 July 2020 |
| ABD 4: Avonmouth Bridge to Portishead Marina | 9 July 2020 |
| ABD 5: Portishead Marina to Wain’s Hill, Clevedon | 9 July 2020 |
| ABD 6: Wain’s Hill, Clevedon to Huckers Bow | 7 May 2024 |
| ABD 7: Huckers Bow to Birnbeck Pier | 9 July 2020 |
| ABD 8: Birnbeck Pier to Uphill Beach | 9 July 2020 |
| ABD 9: Uphill Beach to Brean Cross Sluice | 9 July 2020 |
| ABD 10: Brean Cross Sluice to Brean Down Fort | 9 July 2020 |
Variation reports on approved sections
Sometimes it’s necessary to change sections of an approved route. The proposed changes are published as variation reports. Anyone can comment (make a representation) on these proposals. Landowners and occupiers can make an objection.
Proposals to change the approved route between Sheepway Lane and Portbury Wharf (VR8)
On 31 August 2021, the Secretary of State announced their decision to approve a variation report (VR8) which modifies the original proposals for length ABD 4: Avonmouth Bridge to Portishead Marina. Work on a new high-voltage electricity connection will affect this section until 2025. The report contains the proposals for diverting the route away from this work.
The period for making representations and objections about the report closed at midnight on 12 May 2021. The report is still available to view.
Objections are forwarded for consideration by an independent planning inspector appointed by the Secretary of State. The inspector will make recommendations to the Secretary of State in respect of each one.
Natural England may not make any further changes to reports as a result of representations and objections, but will make comments about them for consideration by the Secretary of State and, in the case of objections, the appointed person (an inspector from the Planning Inspectorate).
The Secretary of State will consider all the representations and objections before making a decision about Natural England’s reports.
Next steps
Work is now underway to prepare the new stretch of coast path for public use. The first step is to contact owners and occupiers of the affected land to discuss the design and location of any new infrastructure which is needed, such as signs and gates.
When preparations are complete, new access rights will come into force along the route and adjoining spreading room.
For further advice and information see the links that follow:
Find out more about the King Charles III England Coast Path
See information about all stretches in preparation around England’s coast.
The coastal access scheme gives details of the process being followed to improve access to the coast.
Contact the coastal access team
Contact Natural England for any comments, suggestions or queries you have about improving coastal access.
Coastal access delivery team (Somerset, Avon and Dorset)
Natural England
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH
Email westcoastalaccess@naturalengland.org.uk
Telephone: Natural England enquiry team - 0300 060 3900
See the map below for more information about progress on improving coastal access in other parts of the west of England.
Updates to this page
Published 22 July 2014Last updated 7 May 2024 + show all updates
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Page updated to show this stretch has been approved in full and work is now at stage 5.
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Page updated to show the Old Passage to Wain’s Hill, Clevedon section of this route is now open to the public.
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Page update to show that length 1 (ABD1) has been approved.
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Page updated to show the Beach Road carpark (Sand Bay) to Brean Down Fort section of this stretch is now open to the public.
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Page updated to show the variation report VR8 has been approved.
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Updated the page with information about the variation report between Sheepway Lane and Portbury Wharf (VR8).
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Added table showing the reports which make up the collection. Page updated to show that 8 of the 10 reports have received Secretary of State approval.
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Page updated to show this stretch is now at stage 4.
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Removed the sentence giving a date for when access is expected to be ready. Publication of the report is expected in summer 2019.
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Dates amended: publication of report now expected in 2019. Access expected to be ready in 2020.
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Work on this stretch of coast has reached 'stage 2: develop'.
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First published.