Communities were yesterday given the clearest indication yet by a government agency that they can build their own DIY sea and flood defences if no government money can be found to protect homes and land.

But the move was branded as “yet another cop out” in the management of the coast by a leading coastal campaigner.

The Environment Agency (EA) plans to stop maintaining defences around the Blyth estuary, near Southwold, over the next 20 years, which could leave thousands of acres of farmland, about 20 homes and the A12 Ipswich to Lowestoft road at increased risk of flooding. (more…)

She thought she had stumbled upon a piece of fascinating flotsam to use in a sculpture.

But when artist Belinda Opie had a chance meeting in her local with a fossil expert, she found out there was more to this humble-looking bit of beach debris than met the eye. For it is actually a 500,000-year-old mammoth tooth.

And its sudden reappearance near the cliffs at Happisburgh after half a million years has raised fears that creeping coastal erosion is washing many of the UK’s pre-historic fossils into the sea. (more…)

Tens of thousands of tonnes of sea defence rock will be shipped to Norfolk’s coast by barge in the run up to Christmas, while a sister operation pumps huge quantities of sand from the seabed to build up the beaches.

The multi-million pound project will beef up and repair both the soft and hard defences around Waxham, Horsey, Winterton, Sea Palling and Eccles as contractors Team Van Oord carry out the work on behalf of the Environment Agency. (more…)

Rising sea levels will have a major impact on the South East’s coastline over the decades to come. It could result in the map of the region being completely redrawn. Even those miles from the sea could end up living under water. (more…)

Britain as an island nation is particularly susceptible to coastal erosion. Several communities in one part of Britain, along the north coast of Norfolk, have already seen their homes and businesses washed into the sea.

So can anything be done to combat the action of oceans? And what will the coastlines of world look like in 2050? For One Planet, Mark Whittaker reports.

Listen to the programme on the BBC World Service website

People faced with losing their homes to coastal erosion or flooding by the North Sea last night welcomed a breakthrough in their fight for financial compensation.

A senior government adviser, the new chairman of the Environment Agency, Lord Smith of Finsbury, yesterday urged the government seriously to consider using taxpayers’ money to re-house those who lose out to the encroaching sea.

It is the first time anyone of such standing has responded to the pleas of homeowners not to be left empty-handed after the sea claims their homes. (more…)

A campaigner who has been told her house is worth less than a loaf of bread will today try to show the man in charge of the nation’s sea defences the true human cost of the government’s coastal policies.

The bungalow Jane Archer and her partner bought as a happy family home 21 years ago is still 60m from the clifftop, but is now worth just £1.

Today when environment minister Phil Woolas makes a fact-finding visit to north Norfolk over erosion and flooding issues she will be among the people keen to show him the impact of the government policy of abandoning sea defences without any compensation.

“I will tell him he is destroying our lives,” said 49-year-old Ms Archer. “Lots of money is spent by the authorities compensating and finding new habitats for rare birds whose homes are threatened by climate and coastal management changes - but what about people? Are they just going to let my house fall over the edge of a cliff, and leave us with nothing?” (more…)

A report by a government body has proposed, as one of four policy options, the prospect of 25 square miles of Norfolk surrendered to the sea. Houses would be destroyed as well as local shops, pubs, village and landscape. Under present legislation there would be no compensation.

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Malcolm Kerby, the coordinator of the Coastal Concern Action Group which is trying to save the North Norfolk village of Happisburgh from collapsing into the sea gives his view…

Read the full article on the BBC website and see the transmitted programme featuring Malcolm Kerby, Richard Howett MEP, Steve Hayman and John Gummer MP.

It is extremely regrettable and highly possible that global warming, sea level rise and climate change will have little ‘work’ to do in terms of wrecking our coast as we know it and the lives of all who live and work in the coastal zone as we progress through this century. Our Government will already have done that long before we/they know or understand what the real extent the effects of climate change may be.

By assuming the worst and throwing away communities and land around our coast now we are not managing the problem we are abdicating our responsibilities to future generations and binding them into costs they may never have been forced to bear had we been more pragmatic in our approach today.

Read the full article by Malcolm Kerby on the CCAG website

All 3 meetings were chaired by Malcolm Kerby of Coastal Concern Action Group in conjunction with Norman Lamb MP and were organised to give villagers the chance to voice their concerns following recent newspaper reports on Natural England plans to “abandon sea defences” in this area.

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These are the main, recurring points from the meetings, and the attendance at the meetings show the strength of feeling of the local communities.

The vast majority agree that the coast must be defended, social justice must be included in any plan & the local communities will fight for their rights in accordance with the Human Rights Act if necessary.

They will petition the Government for assurances that this area will be defended.

Download CCAG notes from public meetings, April 2008 (PDF)