Coping with coastal erosion: North Norfolk to get £10m to help communities 'adapt'

North Norfolk is to get up to £10 million to help its communities cope with coastal erosion.

The district is one of just two areas in the country to benefit from the Government's Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme.

It will provide funding to areas that "cannot sustainably be defended from coastal erosion" to trial "innovative ways of adapting".

Floods Minister Rebecca Pow said: “As climate change brings more extreme weather, we must redouble our efforts to build a more resilient nation.

"We have ramped up flood and coastal erosion policies, and we will always defend our coastline where it is sustainable and sensible to do so. Where it isn’t we will support communities to adapt."

Ms Pow visited Happisburgh to announce the scheme, witnessing Norfolk's crumbling cliffs.

She said the funding might be used to replace damaged community infrastructure, repurpose coastal land for things like "temporary car parks" or "green buffer zones" or even to incentivise homeowners to move away from at-risk areas.

84% of properties at risk of coastal erosion in England over the next 20 years are found in the two areas the scheme targets - north Norfolk and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Councillor Tim Adams, Leader of North Norfolk District Council, said between now and 2105 over 1,000 properties in the area could be lost.

He said: “This new initiative is going to build on our previous experiences and actions in meeting the constant challenge of coastal erosion in North Norfolk, to help us to continue to work together with our local communities and shape a positive future alongside those most at erosion risk."

The programme will run to March 2027 and could be used to "inform future national policy".

The Government says it is in addition to the £5.2 billion it is investing in flood and coastal defences between 2021 and 2027.