Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) financial support and (b) support for (i) relocation, (ii) purchase of replacement housing and (iii) compensation for loss of property value is available to households in Hemsby whose properties are lost to coastal erosion.

The Environment Agency administers and assures the coastal erosion assistance grant (CEAG) on behalf of Defra. A grant of £6,000 per property is available to support the prompt and safe demolition of homes at greatest risk of loss from erosion. Local authorities can apply for the grant to help with the costs associated with demolishing residential property at risk of loss and basic moving costs if appropriate.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council is a partner in the £8 million Resilient Coasts project – part of the Government’s £150 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme. This project is developing new, innovative methods to build resilience and help communities adapt to flooding and coastal erosion. The local project team are trialling new mechanisms to create a self-sustaining fund to help communities at risk of coastal erosion.