A TOTAL of £69m needs to spent over the next half-century to save the piers, harbour and coastline in an area of North Yorkshire.

Scarborough Borough Council's cabinet has approved a report on work which has to be carried out on the stretch of coastline between Whitby Abbey and Sandsend.

Derek Rowell, the council's director of technical services, said that extensive consultations had been carried out with government agencies, voluntary organisations, other councils and environmental and conservation groups.

The scheme has been drawn up by High Point Rendel, the council's consulting engineer, on issues including targeting the state of the coast and defences in the River Esk, which forms Whitby Harbour, the stability of cliffs, levels of beaches, over-topping of seawalls by waves and the risk of flooding.

"The draft strategy has been well received and supported," said Mr Rowell yesterday.

He said that most of the capital needed for the projects would be eligible for grant aid from the government's Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The scheme includes building rock armour walls at Whitby's centuries-old East and West piers and a floodgate at the Battery Sea wall.

In addition, rock armour work is to be carried out at the A174 road, to Sandsend.

Councillor Dorothy Clegg said: "This work is vital because we have seen several landslips, including one which blocked the road for a considerable time."

Replacing sea walls near Whitby Swing Bridge, and at Marine Parade, near the Captain Cook Museum, Dolphin Hotel, the Fish Market and St Ann's Staith are also proposed