'Extremely fast' erosion of village prompts meeting

More than 150 people attended a meeting about how to protect a coastline in a "soul destroying" battle of man versus sea.

The meeting in Thorpeness in Suffolk, was organised by MP for Suffolk Coastal, Jenny Riddell-Carpenter.

Several homes have been torn down this winter due to erosion and more are at risk of being lost.

Riddell-Carpenter said: "The rate of erosion right here at Thorpeness has been extremely fast since Christmas. It's really sped up since October... we've now got families here facing the absolutely worse case scenario."

Residents had previously tried to protect their homes by putting sandbags in front of their properties ahead of high tides.

However, the Environment Agency said the risk of flooding had not increased since recent weather events.

East Suffolk Council has 48 miles (77km) of coastline and last year spent £750,000 maintaining sea defences.

Riddell-Carpenter said she has received a "huge amount" of questions from residents and hoped for there to be a short-term and mid-term solution.

She said: "In principle can we do something to save and protect this shoreline and protect those homes?

"The Suffolk coast itself is a major economic boost, a major economic driver for why Suffolk is so successful. We have huge businesses based here because of our coastline but also the tourism capital of Suffolk is right here."

Mark Packard, cabinet member for planning and coastal management at the council, said the meeting's turnout indicated how worried the community was.

He said: "It's not clear where any money is going to come from if we're going to start defending this coast here but we are on the way to doing something in the short-term with local help.

"If people want to put their own money into something that's really up to them. We as a council don't recommend it necessarily but we understand why they want to do it and I think in the short-term that is the answer if they have those concerns."

He said a short-term solution would be to put a defence in place for the next five years and then look at something for the whole area, which he said could cost "a lot of money".

Previously a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: "We're supporting coastal communities through our commitment to invest at least £10.5bn in flooding and coastal erosion by 2036, benefiting nearly 900,000 properties."

Sophie Marple has lived in Thorpeness for more than 20 years, however, she said the area has been under extra attention from what she calls "doom tourists" wanting to see the erosion for themselves.

She said: "When you're part of the story and your house is at risk and people are asking you questions as you're bringing stuff out of your house it's horrifying, absolutely horrifying.

"Sometimes leaving Thorpeness feels like a good thing to do right now. I feel full of anxiety sometimes being here. The sea is something I absolutely love but it feels like it's coming to get us now and it is soul destroying."

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