On the face of it, any cash offer for homes which were once considered to be worth close to nothing because they are at imminent risk from coastal erosion must be a bonus. But here leading coastal campaigner MALCOLM KERBY explains why he feels the 40pc to 50pc of market value offer likely for a set of homeowners in Happisburgh, reported on the EDP’s front page on Saturday, is simply not up to scratch.

“At the level quoted, which is 40pc to 50pc of no-risk market value, people will not be able to move on uninjured.

It is clear that something is better than nothing and perhaps many people will misunderstand what appear to be negative comments on the matter from me.
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North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) has been awarded a grant of £3 million to develop new ways of managing the impacts of coastal change on our coastal communities.  This comes from the Coastal Change Fund announced in the Government’s Coastal Change Policy.

• Find out more about the North Norfolk Pathfinder

From a press release from North Norfolk District Council:

North Norfolk District Council is answering the Government’s call for ‘pathfinder’ bids for a share of £11 million designated to help coastal communities adapt to coastal change.

NNDC has been at the forefront of lobbying and policy-making on coastal adaptation, through national working groups comprising national Government departments and agencies alongside local councils, and, as a result, the Government is developing a Coastal Change Policy for England — supported by the £11 million fund for innovative adaptation projects. (more…)

People in coastal communities in north Norfolk are being given a chance to voice their views about the challenges faced by their erosion-threatened villages and towns.

Sixty residents and representatives are attending a meeting at Overstrand next Tuesday aimed at kick starting a conversation between the local council and communities. (more…)

Potential social and community issues in the Kelling to Lowestoft Ness Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) have made it difficult for North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) to accept these recommendations. In considering its response, NNDC decided to prepare a Coastal Management Plan that aims to address many of the social and community issues that the SMP was unable to tackle. The aim of the Coastal Management Plan is to develop a positive vision and address the consequences of coastal change.

An evidence gathering study aimed to derive data and support a strategy for the long-term management of change along the North Norfolk coast. The focus of the study is on managing change, to minimise the negative consequences of coastal erosion.

Adaptation to changing coastlines entails costs and how those costs are shared out raises issues of distributive justice. Many institutions have recognised that the current policy of putting the burden on the individual resident or business to manage the losses resulting from the change in approach to managing coastlines is unsustainable.

The final report of the evidence gathering study published in August 2008 is availble on the North Norfolk District Council website

Housing, businesses and other key facilities in coastal villages could be relocated further inland if they become threatened by erosion in a bid to keep vulnerable communities sustainable. A new policy, which is set to be adopted by North Norfolk District Council within months, makes provision for buildings to be moved to sites further from cliffs if worst case erosion predictions prove correct.

Read the full story on the North Norfolk News website