Residents in Hemsby hope Westminster debate on coastal erosion prompts change
The debate's been organised by Waveney MP Peter Aldous
Residents of a seaside village in Norfolk tell us they're hopeful that today's debate in Westminster on coastal erosion will help prompt some meaningful change.
MPs from Norfolk and Suffolk will be debating how it affecting the two counties, and what can be done to tackle the issue moving forwards.
The debate's been organised by Waveney MP Peter Aldous.
"If nothing is done we're going to become a place that starts dying"
Simon Measures is chair of 'Save Hemsby Coastline' and lives on 'The Marrams':
"This idea of 'Planned Retreat' just doesn't work. At some point we have to stop retreating and I don't see a plan for when that occurs. Where does the plan stop?
"Eventually we are going to run out of spaces where we can build into- especially here in Norfolk where it's so flat and we've got the Broads behind us.
"People need to take into account what Hemsby brings to the local economy. As stands we are a net provider, (in jobs and income).
"If nothing is done we're going to become a place that starts dying. With there being no guarantee that they will go to Suffolk"
"There was talk recently about a coastal minister to be set up. It would be fantastic as it would give us all one place to go back to and say they can organise and push for places like Hemsby to be better protected".
Why is this debate taking place?
Research from One Home, a non-profit social enterprise focused on consumer awareness for climate change, estimates that 2,200 properties in England, worth around £584 million, are located in the 21 highest erosion risk coastal communities.
Suffolk and Norfolk are counties on the eastern coast of England experiencing high rates of coastal erosion.
The Environment Agency states:
“Norfolk and Suffolk have some of the fastest eroding coasts in Europe, with over 2.500 homes at direct coastal risk and thousands more properties and businesses directly and indirectly affected by loss of property, infrastructure and utilities.”