WEST Somerset councillors are drawing up plans to resubmit a bid to the Environment Agency in order to save crumbling cliff tops at Blue Anchor.

At a meeting last Wednesday, the district authority discussed its resubmission which has to be made by the end of this month.

It will be discussed again next week at a full council meeting, where officers have decided to go with the second option out of three and reapply to the Environment Agency for the funding.

They have been warned that this is their final chance to apply.

The council has been working with the Blue Anchor Hotel and Somerset County Council who have both pledged money.

Residents expressed fears back in February after the wet weather saw the cliffs behind the hotel crumble more and more.

There were also fears that it would threaten the route into Watchet.

The council’s original application for funding was rejected by the Environment Agency earlier this year.

Around £600,000 is needed for the scheme, the bulk of which is coming from the Environment Agency.

Councillors agreed that £25,000 would be set aside from their reserves, while Somerset County Council has promised a total of £125,000 in cash and materials and old Cleeve Parish council, £150.

Hotel owners have also pledged £50,000, but as the decision is down to their mortgage company, this contribution is not yet certain.

And without it, the council would not have the correct funding in place to resubmit its bid.

West Somerset Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew said: “The officers are currently working hard to get our submission into the Environment Agency.

“We have got £200,000 but as you can see, they would be supplying the main bulk of the required money.

“We just hope it is successful before the bad weather returns so we can get working on a plan