Proposals for an improvement of the C13 at Dinah’s Hollow have been discussed by Dorset Council for over ten years.
In July 2012, a landslip at Beaminster Tunnel overwhelmed the head wall depositing a large quantity of soil on to the highway. The tragedy engulfed a car and killed two people. This prompted an examination of other slopes perceived to be at high risk of failure.
Brody Forbes, local geotechnical consultant, placed Dinah’s Hollow on high-risk alert. This assessment was confirmed by national consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff (now WSP), with slope analysis calculations demonstrated the possibility of burying a small vehicle.
April 2014
Dinah’s Hollow was closed to traffic to remove all risk. A350 became the sole, practical north-south link through Dorset.
Initial work was undertaken by a geotechnical consultant to design a solution to stabilise the slopes of Dinah’s Hollow.
May 2015
Predecessor Dorset County Council’s Cabinet consider options for reopening Dinah’s Hollow due to problems caused by vehicles using unsuitable routes to circumnavigate the closure, local pressure to reopen the C13 due to the length of time the road had been closed, anecdotal reports of increased collisions on alternative routes, damage to vehicles and property and damage to the fabric of the highway.
Cabinet resolve to re-open the road with temporary traffic management restricting traffic to alternate single lane running between barriers directing vehicles down the centre of the carriageway.
June 2015
Predecessor Dorset County Council’s Audit and Scrutiny Committee confirm Cabinet resolution.
July 2015
C13 reopens with road narrowed to single lane and temporary two-way signals allowing alternating flows of traffic through the hollow to reduce risk of injury from potential slips.
December 2015
Predecessor Dorset County Council’s Cabinet suspended the proposed Dinah's Hollow Slope Stabilisation scheme, pending the outcome of bids for the funding of a north/south strategic link between the M4 and Poole Port following the collaborative work with Bath and North East Somerset and Wiltshire Councils and the respective LEPs.
9 March 2016
Landslip at Dinah’s Hollow – with around 50 tonnes of soil slipping from the east back, displacing concrete barriers and closing the road.
Investigation by geotechnical consultant WSP identify water run-off from adjacent land over face of the slope as probable trigger of slip.
April 2016
C13 road reopens following landslip in March.
Work gets underway to acquire land from private owner to undertake drainage works at top of the east bank.
December 2017
Predecessor Dorset County Council Cabinet agree on 6 December 2017 to continue with an advisory one-way system in place for HGVs travelling on the A350 and C13 – with northbound vehicles advised and directed to use the A350 and southbound vehicles advised and directed to use the C13.
This advisory one-way system on the A350/C13 is deemed a medium-term solution – getting the two roads to work together, as best as they can, to serve north Dorset communities.
January 2019
C13 closed for Dorset Council to implement A350/C13 route management scheme, installing permanent two-way signals and a vehicle activated sign (VAS) system for HGVs travelling through the village.
May 2019
C13 reopens following installation of signals and electronic vehicle activated signs.
March 2020
In the Budget, the Government announce over £27 billion funding between 2020 and 2025 to boost regional connectivity through the Second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2). This included funding for a study to explore the case for improvements to links between the M4 and the Dorset Coast.
June 2020
Dorset Council Capital Strategy and Asset Management Group assess that the risk of a major landslip causing injury on the C13 remains and confirm the bid for corporate capital funds for stabilisation works should progress.
April 2021
Dorset Council Cabinet approve plans and £4.3m funding for stabilisation of slopes at Dinah’s Hollow on C13 near Melbury Abbas.
21 October 2021
C13 Dinah’s Hollow closed due to landslip of around eight tonnes, reopens later same day after clearance of material and inspection of slopes.
November 2021
Maintenance work carried out at C13 Dinah’s Hollow following several minor slips over previous two months. Specialist suction excavator used to remove accumulation of material behind concrete barriers without disturbing the slopes of the hollow.
February 2022
Further topographical survey was undertaken on the west side of the hollow to enable design for construction and future maintenance access route to the slope
April 2022
Engineers from Dorset Council and WSP, conducted walk over inspections on both sides of the hollow as well as the carriageway to review the design from 2015 in order to update it to current standards and best practice.
Anything of interest happen between these dates? Or can we put something generic about design work and land negotiations continuing?
November 2022
Preliminary Ecological Assessment
Design work, negotiations, topographical surveys, drainage surveys, highways surveys (utilities) Ecological surveys! (trees/bats/dormice/great crested newts/flora and fungi)
May 2024
Interim Ecological Assessment Report
Also working on review of the 2015 LVIA (Land Visual Impact Assessment)
9 July 2024
At the Dorset Council Cabinet meeting on 9 July 2024, Cabinet authorised the use of the Council’s powers of compulsory acquisition under section 102, 239, 249 and 250 of the Highways Act 1980 and the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 and such other powers as may be appropriate to secure a compulsory purchase order to deliver the stabilisation scheme.
Nevertheless, the council remains committed to continuing discussions with the landowners with a view to seeking to acquire all necessary land and rights by agreement.
August 2024
Issue of Landscape and Ecology Report V2, including proposed mitigations.
June 2024
Tree Preservation Order Application submitted to work in area of TPO.
September 2024
Permission granted to work within TPO.