Hemsby meeting could be 'death nail' for seafront homes- campaigner
This evening, councillors will explain how properties, the beach and dunes at Hemsby could be affected by climate-change in the future
A man living on a fast-eroding local coastline says tonight's meeting could be the 'death nail' for his home and others.
This evening, councillors will explain how properties, the beach and dunes at Hemsby could be affected by climate-change in the future.
It's being called a 'Hemsby Stakeholder Group meeting', which will be chaired by Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) at Hemsby Village Hall in Waters Lane from 6pm until 7.30pm
GYBC say this will be also be attended by Hemsby Parish Council, Ormesby St Margaret with Scratby Parish Council, the Crown Estate, Save Hemsby Coastline, Geoffrey Watling (Norwich) Ltd, the MP’s office and Hemsby Lifeboat
"I don't think many properties are going to survive this storm season
Simon Measures lives on the Marrams and is chair of Save Hemsby Coastline:
"Everyone down here is really very, very nervous and they are living on their wits. All we want is a day off from the on-going grinding stress but you just don't get it. Every time there's a high tide or a storm surge, everyone is on edge.
"Without any help or intervention the situation looks very grim. I don't think many properties are going to survive this storm season.
"You are going to end up with scars across this coastline, where there are patches of where homes have just been smashed down
"I think they are going to come to us on Monday and say this is what we're going to be doing. Be happy with it.
"I hoped that they would come with some more innovative solutions, they were given money to do that, and so far they've only come up with one and that's not been that well received.
The background:
Hemsby has lost 25 homes to coastal erosion since 2013.
In October, GYBC called for the removal of an emergency rock berm installed by the council in 2023, as well as others put in place by homeowners trying to protect the village.
A report by the Council argued that these items posed health and safety risks, including dangers of steel bars protruding from lots of them.
They also say some defences may be protecting a small number of properties directly behind them but are speeding up erosion either side of the installations.
The Council warn that reconfiguring or moving the existing sea defences is likely to have limited benefits.
However, some material, such as the rock berm, may be moved to protect different parts of the beach, such as the beach access ramp.
New sea defences have also been ruled out due to the huge £20m cost for installing a rock berm nearly a mile long.
The council also says such a structure would risk destroying Hemsby’s tourism trade, which is worth £100m a year, as it would cover much of the sandy beach, where thousands of tourists flock each summer.
"The defences are not preventing coastal erosion"
Natasha Hayes, a director at Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC), said: “The council is highly empathetic of the people whose homes are at risk.
“But the defences are not preventing coastal erosion. Waves are going straight over the top or around the side and are washing away the cliff.
“This is the fastest eroding stretch of coastline in Europe and we have recently lost a metre and a half of beach.”
The council says it is working proactively to find solutions for those affected by coastal erosion to “prepare before properties fall into the sea,” Ms Hayes added.
Officials have identified 30 homes that are currently at risk and it is working towards finding a plan to relocate and financially support people likely to lose their homes from coastal erosion.
This includes securing planning rights for land which could be used to build rollback properties.