Five clifftop homes to be demolished in Norfolk village blighted by coastal erosion
- High tides and strong winds destroyed the cliffs in Hemsby, Norfolk last month
- Five of the properties in The Marrams are being demolished due to the collapse
Demolition workers are preparing to tear down five clifftop homes in a village hit by coastal erosion.
High tides and strong winds caused the collapse of a stretch of private access road in Hemsby in Norfolk last month.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council said a number of properties in The Marrams in Hemsby were subsequently inspected and a decision has been taken to demolish five.
The authority said this decision, taken with the owners’ permission, was because the homes are ‘not structurally sound and are unsafe’.
Residents in Hemsby, Norfolk tried to save their homes from coastal erosion
A Google Earth image showing where two roads on the Hemsby seafront used to be. The front road has completely gone while a large part of the road behind called The Marrams has also fallen onto the beach below
Astonished residents of a dramatically eroding coastal village have attacked a council for abandoning their homes to the elements – before threatening them with court action if their homes fall into the sea. Four properties are at imminent risk of collapse in Hemsby, Norfolk, after an access road gave way last Friday (in this image you can see the tarmac on the beach)
The council said a demolition company has been contracted to carry out the work and it is planned to start this weekend.
Work will last for at least four days, as tides mean it can only be carried out for a limited number of hours each day.
READ MORE: Residents stranded after landslide destroys access road to their home
Wrecking machines will need to be on the beach to carry out demolitions due to the loss of the access road, and material will need to be taken off the beach by tipper truck.
Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: ‘While we have known for some considerable time that more properties were at risk from erosion, this remains an extremely difficult time for those people who are losing their homes.
‘Our thoughts are with those affected and our staff have been working hard to provide support and welfare for those who need it.
‘Unfortunately, continued erosion on this stretch of coastline is inevitable and we are working hard with our partners and other agencies to work out how we best adapt to the changing shape of our coast in the coming years.’
The council said demolition would be a ‘complex task’ and access in the area will be limited, with members of the public urged to stay away from the beach for safety reasons.
The access road remains closed, as does a footpath in the area.
Resident Pascal Rose (left), 50, said: ‘I am devastated to be given this letter by Great Yarmouth Borough Council’
The holiday resort of Hemsby in Norfolk where the sea is unmercifully taking away the cliffs
The road running along the clifftop gave way last Friday, meaning properties are at imminent risk of falling into the sea
The council said officers have been working closely with residents to offer support and housing options, and staff have been sourcing appropriate accommodation for those who need it.
While demolition work is taking place, work will also be happening to create access to remove a small number of vehicles and a caravan which were left behind when part of the access road was lost.
Occupants of the wooden chalet-style bungalows in The Marrams estate say the local council didn’t bother sending anyone until Monday – when officers handed out letters explaining owners of properties that fell into the sea without emptying heating oil and septic tanks could be prosecuted for causing pollution
Hemsby has lost around 220ft since 2013 and six homes there have been demolished this year alone before they collapsed into the sea
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