Naturists have flocked to its sands since the 1970s but now one of Britain’s first nudist beaches is to be axed because of coastal erosion.

Waveney District Council has confirmed that following a three-month public consultation the naturist beach at Corton, near Lowestoft, will be de-designated with effect from November 1.

In a statement the council said it was committed to exploring suitable, alternative facilities for the naturist community.

But Malcolm Boura, research and liaison officer at the British Naturism organisation hit out at the decision. He said: “This will come as a blow to our members and it is going to upset a lot of people.” (more…)

COASTAL erosion at some of Yorkshire’s best loved seaside towns and villages is to come under the microscope in a new study which is also asking residents how they would tackle the problems.

Studying the extent of cliff slippages on the coast is an ongoing process but the exercise announced by Scarborough Council yesterday will focus on hotspots such as the Whitby Abbey headland, and tourist honeypots such as Robin Hood’s Bay.

Also targeted will be the settlement of Ravenscar and along the shore between Hundale Point at Cloughton to the Whitby Abbey site.

A public display to introduce the strategy will be on view between 5pm and 7pm on Thursday, May 7, at Fylingdales Village Hall in Robin Hood’s Bay. (more…)

People living near the coast in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are being asked for their views on how the coastline should be managed over the next 100 years.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Coastal Advisory Group (CISCAG) is updating the existing Shoreline Management Plan that details protection arrangements for thousands of homes and businesses that may be at risk from tidal flooding and coastal erosion caused by climate change.

There will be a chance for local people to find out more about the work that has already been done and to talk about future issues and objectives at four stakeholder events during late April and early May 2009. (more…)

A campaign body which has attained international importance on the issues of climate change and coastal erosion, or a tiny community group representing the interests of a few hundred people in the Norfolk clifftop village of Happisburgh?

On the 10th birthday of the Coastal Concern Action Group, Ed Foss explains why it is both.

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The clifftop village of Happisburgh is not alone in its plight.

Yet it has become an international icon in the worldwide battle against the impact of a changing climate, its name being mentioned by media organisations, government institutions and academic bodies across the globe. Australia, America, Japan, South Korea, Holland, Germany, Canada and France are just some of the countries that name has reached.

Linked inextricably with the mention of Happisburgh is the Coastal Concern Action Group, a body born of local need in 1999 because it was recognised that the village’s problems with erosion needed focus. (more…)

GUIDELINES on how the government will try to tackle the problem of coastal erosion will be drawn up using knowledge from communities along the Norfolk and Suffolk coast, a minister said yesterday.

Huw Irranca-Davies, minister for the natural and marine environment, wildlife and rural affairs, visited the east coast yesterday to see local erosion problems first hand.

He was taken to Southwold, where he was shown the crumbling north dock wall at the harbour. In the past few months, large sections of concrete have fallen off the wall, which protects businesses and roads leading into Southwold from flooding. (more…)

CCAG was created ten years ago today. It grew out of the deep frustration and fear within the community.

Frustration because Government’s attitude and approach to the management of our coast seemed to be devoid of any common sense or understanding.

Fear because the prospects for individuals and the community were extremely worrying. Everyone felt they had no voice and were being abandoned out of hand. (more…)

Roads are rarely called beautiful yet few would argue with that word for the A379 at Slapton Sands in Devon. It runs for miles along an elevated shingle bank with the English Channel on one side and a vast, tranquil freshwater lake on the other.

But the road is threatened by a combination of spring tides and easterly winds, which may mean the road will be swept away in the near future – and with it would go a lifeline for local residents and businesses.

“It would turn us into a dead end. No one would come here because it would be too isolated. We’d close down, everyone would close down,” warns Sally Pound, who runs the general store and Post Office at Torcross, the community closest to the road.

The road was breached by a storm in 2001. It closed for three months until a £1.2m repair realigned the tarmac 20 yards inland. If it is breached again it may be ”given to the sea” in line with official conservation policy but against the wishes of local people.

What was an eight-mile scenic run between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge will then become a 21-mile inland diversion along narrow lanes, many carrying buses and coaches in summer. Pretty villages such as Torcross and Strete will become more isolated and homes may fall in value as a consequence.

Read the full story by Graham Norwood on the Telegraph website

Representatives from the Environment Agency (EA) and East Lindsey District Council were on hand to explain how our coastline could be protected over the next 20, 50 and 100 years, and to find out what people think about the suggestions.

But they were keen to stop the scaremongering which has many people believing coastal communities will be abandoned to the sea.

Mark Robinson of the EA said: “This whole process is about trying to deal with people’s perceptions and changing them. We’re raising awareness with coastal plans of climate change and sea level rise. The message is Lincolnshire has very good coastal protection.” (more…)

FAILING to include Cliff Road residents in a meeting of main asset owners over eroding Pennington Point, Sidmouth, has delayed debate on a consultant’s report.

East Devon District Council’s executive board agreed on Wednesday to hold a meeting between officers, consultants Royal Haskoning and owners of 12 cliff-top homes before debating what, if any, action to take to protect the Point. (more…)

A conference is being held at the John Innes Centre, Norwich on 16th May 2009 discussing climate change in East Anglia.

Organised jointly by WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) and the University of East Anglia (UEA), speakers will include:

• Prof. Tim O’Riordan (UEA) discussing “Changing climate; changing coast?”
• Prof. A Davey (UEA) on “Managed coastal realignment; can we seize the conservation opportunities?”
• Steve Hayman (Environment Agency)  on “What’s the future for our coast?”
• Malcolm Kerby (Happisburgh CCAG) on “People, property and coast Management”
• Panel discussion chaired by Dr. Ian Gibson MP

To book a place, fill in and return the booking form – there is no charge for attendance; lunch can be provided for £10. People with lunch bookings get preferential entry if the event is booked out.