King Charles III England Coast Path: Eastbourne to Camber
Find out about the progress of improving coastal access – including maps, process and timing – in East Sussex.
Map of the stretch
Natural England is working to improve coastal access along a 53 km stretch of the East Sussex coast between Eastbourne and Camber.
Officers from East Sussex County Council are providing Natural England with expert local advice during the establishment of the route.
Information about sections of the route
You can view open sections of the route on the National Trails website
You can see the current status of this collection in the table.
| Report number and title | Stage 4 (Determine) | Stage 5 (approved) |
|---|---|---|
| EBC 1: Eastbourne Pier to Bay View Caravan Park, Pevensey Bay | 1 October 2021 | |
| EBC 2: Bay View Caravan Park, Pevensey Bay to Herbrand Walk, Cooden | 6 April 2022 | |
| EBC 3: Herbrand Walk, Cooden to West Parade, Bexhill-on-Sea | 1 October 2021 | |
| EBC 4: West Parade, Bexhill-on-Sea to Tackleway, Hastings | 1 October 2021 | |
| EBC 5: Tackleway, Hastings to Cliff End, Pett Level | 1 October 2021 | |
| EBC 6: Cliff End, Pett Level to Winchelsea Beach | 1 October 2021 | |
| EBC 7: Winchelsea Beach to Rye Harbour | 27 July 2023 | |
| EBC 8: Rye Harbour to Camber Sands | 31 July 2024 |
Stage 5: Approved (not yet available for public use - work to establish the route is currently taking place)
Eastbourne Pier to Rye Harbour
On 27 July 2023, the Secretary of State announced their decision to approve the final section of this stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path between Eastbourne Pier and Rye Harbour.
The reports are still available to view.
Natural England will publish further details of the approved route in due course.
Proposals to change the approved route at Ecclesbourne Glen, Hastings Country Park (VR17)
On 28 March 2024, the Secretary of State announced their decision to approve the variation proposals for Ecclesbourne Glen, Hastings Country Park (VR17).
The change relates to the approved EBC 5: Tackleway, Hastings to Cliff End, Pett Level. At the time of the original proposals (February 2020), a section of public footpath in Hastings Country Park, next to the coast at Ecclesbourne Glen, was closed for safety reasons following a landslip in 2013. The proposals for the KCIIIECP consequently followed a route inland of Ecclesbourne Glen. The access authority has now re-opened this section of public footpath, and it’s considered stable and suitable for the KCIIIECP. The proposed variation would create a more direct route along the coast.
The period for making representations and objections about the report closed at midnight on Thursday 21 July 2022.
The report is still available to view.
Stage 4: Determine
Rye Harbour to Camber Sands
On 31 July 2024, Natural England submitted a report to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs setting out the proposals for improved access to the coast between Rye Harbour and Camber Sands (EBC 8).
Natural England’s original proposals for this section did not include a route connecting Rye Harbour and Camber due to a road safety issue near Brede Sluice, Rye. Fresh analysis, in liaison with National Highways, concluded that with suitable design improvements, this safety issue could be overcome to provide a continuous route around the Rother Estuary. EBC 8 contains Natural England’s new proposals for this section.
The period for making representations and objections about the report closed at midnight on Wednesday 25 September 2024. 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 the report as a result of the 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 report.
The original proposals for this section were removed under modification report EBC-MR1.
Proposals to change the proposed route in the vicinity of Rye and the Rother Estuary, East Sussex (EBC-MR1)
On 27 July 2023, the Secretary of State announced their decision to approve modification report EBC-MR1 for the partial withdrawal of the previous proposals in the vicinity of Rye and the Rother Estuary.
The report is still available to view.
Next steps
Stage 5: Open
For approved sections: 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 see the detailed guide that follows.
For section yet to be approved: when this has Secretary of State approval, Natural England will start work with East Sussex County Council on preparing the route for public use.
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 with any comments, suggestions or queries you have about improving coastal access.
King Charles III England Coast Path delivery team (South east)
Natural England
Floor 9, International House
Dover Place
Ashford
Kent
Email southeastcoastalaccess@naturalengland.org.uk
Telephone 020 8026 8045
See the map below for information about progress on improving coastal access in other parts of East Sussex and Kent.
Updates to this page
Last updated 26 September 2024 + show all updates
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Page updated to show the opportunity to comment on the report Rye Harbour to Camber Sands (EBC8) has ended.
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Page updated with information about the report EBC 8 - Rye Harbour to Camber Sands which is now published. This is the final report for this stretch and replaces the partially withdrawn EBC7.
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Page updated to show the variation report VR17 has been approved.
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Page updated to show the modification report MR1 has been approved.
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Page updated with information about the Rye and the Rother Estuary modification report (EBC-MR1).
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Information about variation report VR17 added.
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Page updated to show that length EBC2 has been approved.
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Added table showing the reports which make up the collection. Page updated to show that 5 of the 7 reports have received Secretary of State approval.
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Updated Covid-19 statement with new deadline for submission of comments.
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Covid-19 statement added to page.
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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 winter 2020.
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Date amended: publication of report now expected in 2019.
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Page updated to show stretch is now at stage 2/3
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First published.