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'Critical steps' taken to protect eroding coastline

Darren Rozier,in Thorpenessand
George King
News imageDarren Rozier/BBC A row of large rock bags on Thorpeness beach in front of a heavily eroded coastline. In the background, there are two homes close to the edge of a low, sandy cliff. Darren Rozier/BBC
Rock bags have been installed on the coastline at Thorpeness, where 11 homes have been demolished

Significant progress to protect a village devastated by coastal erosion is said to have been made after the installation of sea defences funded by residents and the council.

Thorpeness in Suffolk was battered by the elements through the winter. Eleven homes were torn down before they toppled into the sea.

Since then, homeowners and the wider community have clubbed together to pay for and install £280,000 worth of rock bags.

This, says the Thorpeness Community Interest Company (CIC), provides an "important level of stabilisation" at a "particularly vulnerable section of coastline".

"The installation of the rock bags along the frontage between the Headlands, the footpath and up to the Tinkers End and Stella Maris area has been completed," it said.

"These works represent a critical step in reducing the immediate risk of inundation to the wider village and in buying valuable time to develop longer-term solutions."

News imageDarren Rozier/BBC Sheets of metal and wood being installed where the edge of the beach meets a large, inclined grass verge. A digger is on the beach on the right of the image.Darren Rozier/BBC
Sheets of metal and wood are being used as one method of protecting the homes from the sea

Also underway is work on sheet piling and King posts [upright supports] funded by homeowners to protect the frontages in other areas.

East Suffolk Council previously pledged to spend £300,000 on sea defences after initially saying it would not spend money to shore up the coastline.

It came after the government announced it was contributing £18m to help communities facing erosion in Suffolk, Norfolk and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

News imageDarren Rozier/BBC A head and shoulders image of a woman wearing a denim jacket while standing on a beach in front of a large black and white house, which is on the right. She is looking into the camera.Darren Rozier/BBC
Parish councillor Maureen Jones said residents had been living with a fear that their homes could be consumed by the sea

Maureen Jones, chair of Aldringham-cum-Thorpe Parish Council, said the installation of the temporary sea defences only provided some reassurance.

"Residents are pleased, but they're anxious as it's not a permanent structure.

"They will be far more relieved once the more permanent structure has been put in," she said.

Thorpeness CIC said it would liaise with the council about the development of longer-term coastal protection options and the future use of rocks and rock bags.

"It has been a wake-up call and it's been very stressful, but they are looking at a permanent solution," added Jones.

News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A head shot of Mark Packard. He is smiling and wearing a striped light-blue shirt over a white T-shirt. He is looking into the camera. Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Mark Packard previously told the BBC that East Suffolk Council was doing everything in its power to support residents

Mark Packard, East Suffolk Council's cabinet member for planning and coastal management, previously congratulated residents on the funding they had raised.

He added: "Nobody wants to lose their home, of course they don't, but we have talked to them all the way along.

"We haven't left them alone - this is an extraordinary event and we're trying to cope with it the best we can."

East Suffolk Council was contacted for comment.

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