Coastal defence would damage tourism, says council

It took a council contractor fewer than two days to demolish five chalets in 2023

The creation of a 1.2km (0.7mile) coastal defence at an erosion-hit seaside village would "completely decimate" its £100m tourism economy, according to a council.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council plans to remove a temporary rock barrier at Hemsby, Norfolk, after a report revealed erosion has sped up on either side.

Simon Measures, from Save Hemsby Coastline, said the decision had left homeowners whose properties were at risk from erosion feeling "kicked while we're down".

Natasha Hayes, the council's executive director of place, said "hundreds of jobs rely" on its beach, which would be destroyed by a permanent coastal defence.

The council was "sympathetic" to homeowners whose properties were at risk, she added.

Simon Measures says desperate homeowners are trying to protect the dunes and save their houses for as long as possible

Since 2013, more than 25 homes in the village have been demolished or collapsed into the sea as storm damage eroded the sandy cliffs.

The council has identified 30 homes at risk over the next few years, with some residents predicting they have between one and five years before their wooden houses were at imminent risk.

Two years ago, a temporary 80m (262ft) rock revetment was put in place, restoring access to the beach.

Ms Hayes told Chris Goreham on BBC Radio Norfolk the report commissioned by the council revealed "it's not stopping coastal erosion, it's merely slowing it down to a few select properties behind it - those on either side are seeing speeded-up erosion".

Mr Measures said over the weekend "these structures have withstood a high tide and a storm: they've worked."

He added Save Hemsby Coastline had offered to pay for the changes needed to make them safe.

His wife Jenny said the council needs to remember it was "people's homes and lives they're destroying".

Keith Jordon, whose home was demolished in December 2023, described news the temporary defences would be removed as "absolutely devastating".

Jenny Measures said an 80-year-old neighbour close to the cliff had received the "absolutely heart-breaking" news her house was at risk

Plans for a permanent defence stretching have previously been granted by the Marine Management Organisation.

Ms Hayes said: "Two years' ago, it was going to cost £20m and Hemsby qualifies for around £2m [in Environment Agency funding], so you can see there's already a significant gap that exists."

The council has said this is because the funding would come via a Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Grant-in-Aid, which currently is only granted when "hundreds of homes are at risk".

She added, "a permanent rock structure would completely decimate the beach".

"Hemsby's tourism economy is worth £100m a year, hundreds of jobs rely on it, and there's around 15,000 bed spaces at peak season, so there's a wider economic impact of putting a 1.2km (0.7mile)-long rock berm along the beach," she said.