Landowners and farmers have said the Government has used public money "unnecessarily" to replicate access to the coast that a rural organisation said "already existed".
Natural England has announced work is officially underway along every stretch of the England Coast Path.
The England Coast Path will be the longest managed and waymarked coastal path in the world.
But rural organisation the CLA, which represents landowners who own the private land affected by the route, says access was already provided before Natural England began the project in 2009.
It suggests the millions of pounds spent on delivery would have been better channelled to improving facilities already on the established coastal paths.
'Disappointing'
CLA President Ross Murray said: “It is disappointing that the Government is spending so much time and public money unnecessarily on a project which largely replicates existing access to the coast. The money is being spent to solve a problem which didn’t exist in the first place.
“There was already access to 84% of the coast before Natural England began the project and as the rollout is showing, access to the rest is often not possible because of crucial conservation sites, ports, harbours or military bases.
“If the Government wanted to spend money on the coast it would have been better allocated to improving maintenance, signs, toilets and car parks on already established paths.
“Natural England’s reassessment of existing access is unnecessary. A path is a path. We would urge the Government to follow the coastal access model successfully delivered in Wales which achieved an 870-mile complete coast path in a shorter timescale and at a cost of less than £10 million to the taxpayer.”
'Generate millions'
However, a Natural England spokesman said the public will be able to enjoy access to the entire English coastline, and it will "generate millions of pounds" for local economies.
The spokesman said: “When we started over a third of the coast was inaccessible, but now walkers can be confident they won’t find their way blocked by a gate or be diverted away from the coast.
“We will continue to work closely with landowners, communities and local authorities to create the best possible route.”
Natural England said that throughout the process, farmers and landowners can contribute their views and advice on potential options for the route.
The body said it receives "very few" objections.
