Cliff-top homes £90,000 erosion plan approved

The money will be used to help the residents of properties at Flat Cliffs near Filey

A £90,000 grant to help people living near cliffs plan for coastal erosion has been officially accepted by North Yorkshire Council.

The money will be used to help the residents of 45 properties at Flat Cliffs, near Filey, which the council said are "at imminent risk of loss" from coastal erosion.

Government estimates suggest the coastline at the location will erode by up to 12m (39ft) by 2055, with this potentially increasing to 40m (131ft) by 2105.

The money will be used to identify timescales for the loss of individual properties and help them plan for the future, according to a council report.

Officials previously said residents would be "unprepared for the loss of properties", without the funding, making it difficult to manage the process when the time came for the buildings to be permanently vacated.

Earlier efforts to shore up the road were a "temporary solution" intended to "buy some time" to enable residents to relocate and remove their belongings from the areas at risk, according to the report.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillor Malcolm Taylor said: "We believe raising awareness of the risks and supporting those planning for change is the best use of the money."

Taylor, the authority's executive member for highways and transport, added: "We are monitoring vulnerable areas and actively seeking ways to support communities and individuals plan to manage the impacts of coastal erosion."

The Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee said its grant would go towards preparing the community of Flat Cliffs "to be ready for and be more resilient to coastal change".

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.