THE National Trust has temporarily withdrawn its planning application to relocate 42 beach huts at Studland.

These huts, considered to be at risk of suffering storm damage, were set to be moved back from the sea at Middle Beach as part of a phased programme staring this autumn.

However, due to a request by Natural England regarding the ecology of the site, the planning application has been withdrawn.

The National Trust’s policy for adapting to coastal change at Studland has put them at loggerheads with many local residents.

Earlier this year more than 1,800 people backed two petitions urging the National Trust to abandon its plans to close the current Middle Beach cafe at Studland.

The Trust is set to close the cafe and the toilet block at Middle Beach and remove the sea defences protecting them. This work is part of a policy of non-intervention the trust is implementing for the coastal site, where, it says, the sea defences are reaching the end of their natural life.

Whereas the beach hut relocation plans are not strictly part of the same scheme, Studland operations manager Emma Wright - explaining the original decision to relocate the huts earlier this year - said: “The move is in line with our Shifting Shores policy for adapting to coastal change and the coastal management plan for Studland Bay, overseen by the Environment Agency.”

A drop-in session, at Studland Village Hall, is scheduled for today, from 10am-3pm, on the wider Middle Beach Plan update.

Meanwhile, on the latest move to postpone the beach hut plan, a National Trust spokesman confirmed: “Our application to relocate vulnerable beach huts at Middle Beach, Dorset, has been temporarily withdrawn following a request by Natural England for more information regarding the ecology of the site.

“The National Trust is committed to working with Natural England and others to ensure the relocation process takes place with due regard to the sensitive nature of the area and we are in the process of clarifying with Natural England exactly what additional information is required.”

The spokesman also explained that once the matter is resolved, they will resubmit the application.

“While it is not possible to give an exact timescale at this stage, we aim to carry out the relocation as soon as possible, subject to planning permission,” he said. “We will be writing to beach hut owners to update them.”