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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the condition of coastal defences at Hemsby in Norfolk.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) are the responsible risk management authority for the coast at Hemsby and have been working on erosion management issues at Hemsby for many years.

Earlier this year an independent report commissioned by GYBC detailed how a temporary rock berm, which was installed in 2023, and other materials on the beach are now ineffective at preventing or slowing down erosion and, in some cases, are exacerbating it. GYBC have highlighted there is a risk to public safety from some of the materials on the beach and the Hemsby Stakeholder Group has agreed to look at how some of the assets might be re-purposed and re-used more effectively for the benefit of the community. GYBC have confirmed nothing will be moved until next autumn, to allow time for community input and further stakeholder group meetings.