MP visits erosion-hit Hemsby as demolition plan for homes gear up

Preparations are made for the demolition work at Hemsby.Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant)

Workmen from Anglian Demolition arrived this morning in the village as they started to plan how to demolish the five homes on the Marrams that are teetering on the clifftop.

It is thought today will see mostly preparation work, although some action may be taken on safety grounds. It is then expected the main work will be carried out over the weekend.

The Hemsby Lifeboat is also in action today by carrying out work to realign concrete sea defence blocks on the beach and put down matting donated by Greg Carter. That work is ahead of a plan by Great Yarmouth Borough Council to transport sand from Yarmouth’s North Beach to Hemsby to restore the beach by the lifeboat station so it can become operational again.

This morning also saw Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth, visit Hemsby for the first time since the erosion crisis. He met with lifeboat crew and coastal protection teams.

Preparations are made for the demolition work at Hemsby.Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant)

After the meeting Mr Lewis confirmed the Environment Agency have provided money for a study on a future defence scheme that could be looked at from May at a high level.

He also said that the landowner at the Marrams, the Watling Trust, has now said once a scheme had been agreed it would look at what it could do, a move Mr Lewis described as “good news”.

He added : “The priority is to get that approved scheme. We have got to do what we can to protect people’s livelihoods.”

Eight other homes at risk of toppling over are also being monitored by the council.

Lance Martin, 60, lives in one of those homes and is making his own plans for his property to be jacked away from the clifftop.