A major engineering project to secure Dinah’s Hollow and reduce the risk of further landslips is on track to be completed by the end of the year.
Work on the C13 near Melbury Abbas began in January, with almost 1,500 soil nails – some nine metres long – now installed to stabilise the steep slopes. High-tensile wire mesh has also been fitted, while substantial drainage improvements are being carried out.
The hollow has suffered repeated landslips over many years, creating concerns over the long-term future of the route, which provides an important road link through north Dorset.
The remaining work includes completing drainage, installing new kerbs, resurfacing the road and landscaping. New bat and bird boxes will also be installed this autumn, alongside a specially selected mix of native seeds.
Dorset Council says more mature trees have been retained than originally anticipated, with new vegetation already appearing where trees have been removed. Ecologists have worked alongside engineers throughout the project, with construction planned around protected species including bats and hazel dormice.
Council leader Cllr Nick Ireland said: ‘Dinah’s Hollow has been a long-standing concern, so it’s great to see the project making such strong progress.
‘This is a complex engineering scheme, but the goal is simple: to provide a lasting solution that keeps people safe and communities connected, protects an important transport link and supports the local economy.’
North Dorset MP Simon Hoare recently visited the site with Cllr Ireland and local ward councillor Jane Somper.
He said: ‘I am really pleased that Dorset Council took on this project and is now bringing it through to fruition. I am staggered by how many mature trees they have been able to retain. It has been done sensitively and, for those who were concerned, growth is already coming through.
‘This is now a permanent fix to a long-term problem, which will be good news for residents and for businesses in north Dorset.’
The scheme remains scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.
