Pakefield: Cliff-edge properties face demolition - council

People in the area said they understood demolition work would start on Thursday

Five properties on a cliff edge are facing demolition due to coastal erosion, a council said.

East Suffolk Council said Pakefield had been subject to "unprecedented rates of coastal erosion" since 2019 and recent storms had caused "significant damage".

It said it had been providing advice and support to the owners of the five properties at the cliff edge.

A woman whose parents own a property earmarked for demolition said they were "absolutely devastated".

The woman, who did not want to be named, said her parents were in their 80s and have had the holiday home for 12 years.

"It's their prized possession to have something that close to the sea and nothing has really been done to protect it," she said.

"Now it's got to come down, no ifs or buts."

People in the area said they understood demolition work would start on Thursday.

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East Suffolk Council said owners of the properties were warned of the potential risk after there were concerns during the winter of 2019/2020 about "more extreme periods of winter weather predicted".

It said despite less harsh winters that year and the following, the risk remained and "emergency measures were put in place to buy some time".

East Suffolk Council said Pakefield had been subject to "unprecedented rates of coastal erosion" since 2019

However, the recent period of extreme weather brought by Storms Arwen and Barra "caused significant damage to the cliffs in front of five properties seaward of Arbor Lane", it said.

The council said: "This latest period of cliff erosion has meant that those five properties are now at the cliff edge and demolition is advisable.

"East Suffolk Council has been providing advice and support to property owners to make sure that they have access to information and grants to help them with the costs of demolition."