Rupert Lowe calls for action on Hemsby coastal erosion

A seaside community has been “badly let down after years of neglect,” according to its MP.

Rupert Lowe made the comments following a meeting with the Environment Agency in the Houses of Parliament to discuss coastal erosion in Hemsby.

He said: “I made it very clear that the people of Hemsby want action, and not more conversations and more inaction. “Smart, long-term planning will be essential to ensure our coastal residents and business owners remain properly protected.”

Last winter, unprecedented rates of erosion swept away more than 10 metres of land at Hemsby, forcing last-minute evacuations and leaving only three homes standing on the fragile, battered dunes.

Contractors also demolished 26 homes on The Marrams and Fakes Road after the properties had been judged to be at risk of collapsing onto the beach.

In January, Mr Lowe said he was “working with a specialist” to “obtain a proper quote” for options to protect the erosion-threatened stretch of coastline.

Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth, said Hemsby has been badly let down over the years as residents face the threat of coastal erosion. (Image: Denise Bradley)

And following last week’s meeting he said he was calling for a broader approach to the problem including financial support for relocation and lower-cost interventions on the beach.

“But to get anything done we need to get all stakeholders on the same page, with the same vision for what is feasible and for what the people of Hemsby deserve.

“In the meantime, I will continue to make it known throughout Westminster that coastal communities like Hemsby have been woefully overlooked for too long, and that it must change,” he added.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We’re committed to supporting the community in Hemsby, where we are working with Great Yarmouth Borough Council on the £8m Resilient Coasts project, exploring alternatives to traditional hard defences.

“The Environment Agency is also investing £30 million in delivering advanced adaptation actions such as long-term financing solutions for certain properties in at-risk areas, including Hemsby.”

Simon Measures, chairman of Save Hemsby Coastline, said: “We are happy that Rupert is still pushing Hemsby’s case.

He said it was “worrying” that after all of the money spent on helping the village adapt to coastal erosion, “Rupert still feels that the stakeholders are not on the same page”.