North Norfolk District Council to spend £1.28m to repair sea wall
The scheme will help “buy time” for the village of Overstrand
A Norfolk council will spend £1.28m to repair a crumbling sea wall after being told its defences will not be replaced if they fail.
The scheme, agreed this week, will help “buy time” for the village of Overstrand, which is facing a battle against time as erosion continues to threaten the vulnerable coastline.
Changes to the shoreline management policy this year require a new approach by North Norfolk District Council after being told new sea defences will not be funded.
It is hoped the costly repairs will buy time for longer-term measures being developed to allow for a ‘managed realignment’ of the coastline.
Further maintenance will continue until this plan has been developed and funding for things like replacement homes is secured.
Due to beach levels dropping, the council claims the sea wall has become “significantly undermined in several places”, and the sea has penetrated through the corroded sheets.
At a meeting this week, Harry Blathwayt, cabinet member for coast, said: “We cannot apply for the level of capital funding we would have otherwise, meaning the larger scheme we have been hoping for is no longer possible.”
NNDC intends to use the £1.28m to carry out targeted works at locations with the “greatest immediate structural concern”, which could take months to complete.
Erosion at Overstrand has become a growing challenge for the council, with a third of the council’s coastal repair budget spent on works in the village.
Recent cliff falls – a separate issue from the sea wall repairs – are also causing challenges and have resulted in a section of the coastal path being closed.
It has prompted the authority to create a dedicated coastal management budget for reactive clifftop repairs and maintenance, reflecting the growing problem of the eroding coast.
This will make it easier for the council to identify funding for such projects.
Tim Adams, leader of the Liberal Democrat-controlled council, said: “These are two separate challenges to overcome. This investment is crucial to Overstrand’s future and economy.
“We cannot underestimate how important this is.”