Seeking views on relocation plan

As part of the 'Coastal Change Pathfinder Programme', Waveney District Council has identified a potential site at Rissemere Lane East in Reydon to relocate these properties to. With this in mind, a consultation is being staged, with residents invited to see plans at Southwold Library between Wednesday July 25 and Friday August 31.

The Waveney Pathfinder Project was set up by Defra as a pilot scheme for their policy to help communities at risk of coastal erosion. In Waveney, the communities of Corton and Easton Bavents were chosen to test the options for managing the effects of coastal erosion and its impacts on community life and businesses. 

The Waveney Pathfinder project is helping to shape ideas nationally for the future of both individuals and communities vulnerable to coastal erosion and Waveney's Cabinet Member for Planning and Coastal Protection, Cllr David Ritchie, believes this is another positive step.

He said: "We are working with the property owners on plans to assist them to move all the properties as a group to a safe nearby location and this will be the first time, under our Planning Policy guidelines, that such an operation has been considered. This is an urgent and live issue and this Waveney scheme is leading the way in the UK for addressing this ever-worsening problem."

At this stage the Council is applying for outline planning permission. An outline planning permission establishes the principle that land can be developed but it requires further detailed planning consent before any development can take place.

In December 2009 Defra announced those 15 Coastal Local Authorities that had successfully bid for Pathfinder Coastal Change grants. Amongst these were Waveney District Council in Partnership with Suffolk Coastal Futures. Waveney received £1.534m in funding to be utilised on this pilot scheme.

The funding is specifically targeted at obtaining the right level of expertise to work with the varying sectors of both communities to develop a series of adaptive measures that will prepare them for the future and the effects of any coastal change.