King Charles III England Coast Path: Iwade to Grain
Find out about the progress of improving coastal access – including maps, process and timing – in Kent.
Map of the stretch
Natural England has begun to investigate how to improve coastal access along a 58 km stretch of the Kent coast between Iwade and Grain.
Officers from Medway Council and Kent County Council are providing Natural England with expert local advice and helping to make sure there is full consultation with local interests during the development of the route.
Ridham Dock to Kingsferry Bridge
Stage 5: Open
This 1.5 mile (2.4km) stretch of the England Coast Path (ECP) is now open to the public. Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Iwade to Grain stretch on 18 August 2020, 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 ECP, 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 ECP passes through your land.
Otterham Quay to Stoke Marshes
Stage 5: Open
This 23.5 mile (38km) stretch of the England Coast Path (ECP) is now open to the public. Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Iwade to Grain stretch on 5 October 2023, by order of the Secretary of State.
The route is available to view on the National Trails website.
Grain Crossing to Grain Esplanade
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.
Kingsferry Bridge to Otterham Quay
Stage 4: Determine
On 15 January 2020, Natural England submitted a collection of reports to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, setting out the proposals for improved access to the coast between Iwade and Grain.
The period for making representations and objections about the report closed at midnight, Wednesday 11 March 2020. The reports are 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 reports 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 reports. The reports in the collection may get approval at the same time. Some of them may need further consideration.
You can see the current status of the collection in the table.
| Report number and title | Stage 4 | Stage 5 (approved) |
|---|---|---|
| IGR 1: Ridham Dock (Iwade) to Kingsferry Bridge | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 2: Kingsferry Bridge to Raspberry Hill | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 3: Raspberry Hill to Funton Brickworks | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 4: Funton Brickworks to Lower Halstow | yet to be determined | |
| IGR 5: Lower Halstow to Shoregate Creek | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 6: Shoregate Creek to Otterham Quay | yet to be determined | |
| IGR 7: Otterham Quay to The Strand Leisure Park | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 8: The Strand Leisure Park to Frindsbury | 12 November 2020 | |
| IGR 9: Frindsbury to Burnt House Farm | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 10: Burnt House Farm to Stoke Creek Crossing | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 11: Stoke Creek Crossing to Grain Crossing | 18 August 2020 | |
| IGR 12: Grain Crossing to Grain Esplanade | 18 August 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. Affected landowners and occupiers can make an objection.
Proposals to change the approved route at Canal Road, Strood (VR15)
On 28 March 2024, the Secretary of State announced their decision to approve the variation report on the approved route at Canal Road, Strood (VR15).
The changes relate to the approved IGR 8: The Strand Leisure Park to Frindsbury. Since approval of the original proposals, land in the Canal Road area of Strood has been cleared, raised and prepared for future housing development. The work included provision of a new flood defence barrier which was constructed over the approved alignment. The alignment of Canal Road has also changed, where it previously supported the approved trail. The proposed variation reflects these developments.
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.
Next steps
Stage 5: Open
Once the Secretary of State has approved 1 or more of the reports, Natural England will start work with Kent County Council and Medway Council on preparing the route for public use.
The first step will be to contact owners and occupiers of the affected land to discuss the design and location of any new infrastructure which is required such as signs and gates.
When preparations are complete for the stretch as a whole, new access rights will be brought into force along the route and adjoining spreading room.
Find out more about the 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 south east of England.
Updates to this page
Published 25 January 2016Last updated 28 March 2024 + show all updates
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Page updated to show variation report for Canal Road, Strood (VR15) has been approved.
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Page updated to show the Otterham Quay to Stoke Marshes section of this stretch is now open to the public.
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Page updated to show the Ridham Dock (Iwade) to Kingsferry Bridge section of the stretch is now open to the public.
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Page updated with details of the variation report VR15.
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Page updated to show that report 8 has received Secretary of State approval.
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Added table showing the reports which make up the collection. Page updated to show that 9 of the 12 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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Changed expected date for publication of the reports to early 2020.
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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 autumn 2019.
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Date amended: access expected to be ready in 2020.
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Updated page to show that work has reached stage 2 and 3.
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First published.