COASTAL erosion campaigners were left with mixed feelings following the visit of a high-powered government official to hear their concerns and ideas.

Minister for marine and natural environment Huw Irranca-Davies MP dropped in at various sites along the Norfolk coast to find out more about plans to defend the shoreline from an encroaching sea.

One of the areas visited was Hopton, to which he had been specifically invited by Tony Wright MP. (more…)

A MEETING aimed at shedding light on the coastal erosion debate at Hopton has fanned the flames of the controversy and lead to accusations of a whitewash.

Senior officials were at the village hall on Monday to reveal the findings of a controversial report looking at how the outer harbour had affected the rate of beach depletion.

Campaigners – who say the port is fuelling erosion – were told their views were not backed up by a beach monitoring survey, triggering sighs of disbelief among some of those listening. (more…)

Hopton villagers campaigning to save their homes from the North Sea have formed an action group to battle for money for defences – and plan to “go for the jugular”.

Brian Hardisty, chairman of the new Hopton Coastal Action Group, said the nine-member committee wanted the government to maintain rather than abandon sea defences and had formed arguments to support its position.

He added that clifftop housing worth an estimated £5m plus two holiday villages were at stake, and said he was unconvinced by statistics predicting the rate of erosion which were already well out, concrete defences near Corton having failed within three years and not the predicted 15-20 years. (more…)