Residents of Hemsby delivering petition to 10 Downing Street calling for urgent action
Over 30 metres of the coastline and five homes have been lost to coastal erosion over the past few months
Last updated 29th Jan 2024
People living in Hemsby are delivering a petition to 10 Downing Street later - calling for sea defences to be urgently installed at the seaside village.
Over 30 metres of the coastline and five homes have been lost to coastal erosion over the past few months- as the soft sandy dunes remain unprotected from tides.
Hemsby has previously been told by the Government that the proposed sea defence scheme for the village "doesn’t qualify for sufficient Government funding to allow it to progress".
"Look at what Hemsby brings to the county, as a whole"
Simon Measures is from 'Save Hemsby Coastline' (SHC) and is making the trip to Number 10:
"Why do they The Government consider that Hemsby isn't worth saving? All you have to do is get round this issue of counting properties and look at what Hemsby brings to the county, as a whole.
"Anxiety and the stress-levels go up every single storm, you can see it on people's faces when I go and talk to them. As SHC we are not an emergency group all we can do is say to people I'm living here to if you need any help please call."
"Is this the end for the road?"
"Myself and a number of my neighbours aren't sleeping well, at all.
"If we hear strong winds or the waves are a bit louder than normal, our nerves jangle and we start waking up and start thinking is this the end for the road or the time when somebody is going to knock on our door with a demolition notice.
"People are looking to sell their properties, in the area, as the beach is now so tidal that for great chunks of the day you just can't get on it."
Ian Brennan is Treasurer of Save Hemsby Coastline:
"Hemsby puts £80M into Norfolk’s economy every year through tourism, which over the expected lifetime of the Berm adds up to £2,000,000,000 and the potential loss of that income seems to have little bearing on the potential Grant in Aid funding. Hemsby was told it doesn’t qualify for any support!"
When's this going to happen and who's going down?
Six People from 'Save Hemsby Coastline' and Hemsby Lifeboat are travelling down to Westminster.
They will be joined by local Councillor James Bensly, Chair of Coastal Partnership East.
The delivery is expected to take place at 11.30am.