Community in Hemsby invited to join consultation to consider rock berm options for coastline

As part of ongoing work, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Coastal Partnership East have been working with the community to consider ways to respond to coastal change along this dynamic stretch of coastline.

With a rock berm identified with the community as the preferred short- to medium-term solution to help reduce the rate of erosion and give Hemsby extra time to adapt to change, the council commissioned independent experts Jacobs to progress an outline design, technical and environmental studies.

As the next stage in the process, the whole community is now invited to take part in a virtual consultation on the outline design and consider the options for the proposed rock berm. Due to the current covid restrictions on gatherings, a "virtual village hall" has been created to allow people to take part. People can take part online from today (Monday, May 10) until Friday, June 18 at www.coasteast.org.uk/consultations

Cllr Penny Carpenter, chairman of the environment committee, said: "The council and Coastal Partnership East are working hard to support communities like Hemsby who are at the frontline of climate change impacts. We are acutely aware of the distress this causes.

"Alongside monitoring erosion resulting from weather events and liaising with those impacted, we have been exploring with the community potential options for responding to coastal change at Hemsby in the longer term, alongside undertaking the associated technical and environmental studies.

"This consultation, which includes rock berm design options and more refined potential costings, is the next important step towards shaping and submitting a final scheme for planning approval. Only if a scheme is found to be technically, ecologically and financially viable, as well as acceptable to the community as a whole, could any application be made for Government funding. Significant partnership funding would also need to be secured from other sources.

"We are fully aware of the constant worry and the impact on residents and businesses who are directly affected by costal erosion, therefore I would encourage all residents and businesses within Hemsby to take part in this virtual consultation, which is a great way of finding out the full information and helping to shape a final scheme."