A report published last week predicts that 200,000 homes on the UK coastline will have to be abandoned within the next 30 years because of coastal flooding and erosion. The estimate by scientists on the government Climate Change Committee is much higher than previously suggested.
The report comes in the same week as alarming data from the Arctic, showing “extraordinary” and “crazy” temperature rises in the region. The news could mean the impact of climate change in the UK, including sea level rise, will come earlier and be more extreme that expected, according to scientists.
And a few weeks previously, the head of the UK Environment Agency Sir James Bevan gave a speech in which called for a national debate on the cost of moving entire rural coastal communities inland, out of harm’s way. It will not be possible to defend many rural coastal communities against future sea level rise, he said.
We think it is the height of irresponsibility and insanity to build five luxury houses right right on the front line of this conflict for the coming generation. At a time when the country is having to face up to some hard decisions about the cost of relocating existing communities, the developers want to cash in, compound the known problem, and let someone else pay the inevitable cost of solving it.
The IOW council’s current shoreline management policy for this beach is changing in 2025 from hold the line to no active intervention. According to the council, the potential erosion of this shoreline is 14 meters over the next 30 years.
If this development goes ahead, how soon will it be before future residents are demanding that the council and taxpayers spend more to protect their expensive homes?