News
'Broadland defences to be unveiled'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/7921735.stm
The Environment Agency is preparing to officially unveil an £11m flood defence scheme designed to protect Norfolk's fragile Broadland habitat. The scheme will help protect about 500 houses and 3,600 hectares (8,895 acres) of land, including a large area of designated Broads. The agency is due to hold a ceremony at Waxham Great Barn, Waxham, on Friday to mark the completion of the works.
Groynes have been replaced, sea walls bolstered and beaches replenished. New rock groynes have been built between Horsey and Winterton Ness Gap.
Protection for 50 years
Rocks have also been placed to protect a stretch of seawall from wave action, while the beach between Sea Palling and Poplar Farm Gap has been replenished with sand to further protect the wall.
Dafydd Evans, the Environment Agency's eastern area manager, said: "We have undertaken a great deal of work on this scheme and are committed to protecting this length of coast for at least the next 50 years. We have approval to spend a further £10m on this length of coast over the next few years."
The Environment Agency has responsibility for the sea defences along a 14km length of the Norfolk coast from Cart Gap, south of Happisburgh, to Beach Road, Winterton.
Coastal erosion campaign stepped up
News Article
Brandon Lewis, the Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for Yarmouth, has recruited MP John Gummer in the battle to highlight the coastal erosion problems facing Scratby, Hemsby and Winterton. As a member of the cross party Parliamentary group looking at coastal erosion, Mr Gummer was able to gain valuable information on the issue and how it affects Yarmouth during a visit to the area.
Mr Lewis was joined by coastal erosion campaigners from the villages in making the case to Mr Gummer for investment to hold the line on this part of the coast. He said: “Hemsby alone puts £80m to £100m into the local economy. When you take that and the house and other business values that could be lost along this stretch of land you can easily see a cost of up to £200m for not holding the line here. It would only cost around £2.5m to finish the line of the rock protection that currently ends at Scratby and compared to the loss of property and business here that seems a very good investment”
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