Happisburgh coastal erosion victim vows to 'fight on' to save village
81 year old Bryony Nierop-Reading is losing her second home there after it was considered to be at immediate risk of collapsing onto the beach
A victim of coastal erosion in Happisburgh tells us she'll continue fighting on the save the village
81 year old Bryony Nierop-Reading is losing her second home in the village after it was considered to be at immediate risk of collapsing onto the beach, below.
In 2013- her previous home collapsed on the beach below after it had been teetering on the cliff edge, due to coastal erosion.
North Norfolk District Council say those affected by this- including Bryony- are being given between £40 to £100 thousand to help support them.
Norfolk District Council's says it's financially supported these demolitions through a existing, fund it created a number of years ago for these eventualities and via the national Coastal Erosion Assistance Grant.
The work's also being done through a scheme called 'Coastwise' that's being backed by £15 million of Government funding and aims to help communities adapt to rapid coastal erosion.
It means those affected are getting access to professional services – such as Planning, the ‘Planning Replacement Opportunity’, or through NNDC, offering to purchase the property at a set value.
"Living here keeps me focussed"
Bryony told us what this has been like for her and why she's fighting on:
"I've noticed that the further away from the cliffs you live, the less concerned you are by the on-going situation.
"Had I moved inland, I would have said well, it's somebody else problem. Living here keeps me focussed.
"If the rest of our cliffs go then the land behind that slopes down inland after that. So the ultimately the sea could go in the Broads and then people might be able to take this seriously.
"What the difference has been for me this time is that, I wasn't served an eviction notice on my own field telling me that I had to go off it.
"This time it's been a lot easier- to a degree- because I could see where I was going. This time I've felt supported and helped by North Norfolk District Council all the way through this".