Thorpeness residents hope coastal works will slow winter erosion
It's as they've seen the cliffs fall rapidly in recent years, threatening homes, heritage, and community life.
With maintenance work soon happening on the Thorpeness coast, residents are hoping it will help prolong erosion heading into the winter
Cliffs falling away
The Suffolk coast has been hit hard in recent years, with sections of cliff crumbling into the sea. Locals say the impact is being felt across the village, not just on the shoreline.
Roger Hawkins, who has lived in Thorpeness for 20 years, said the risk is bigger than people realise:
“We’re getting rising sea levels, more storms from the north east, and that’s pushing water closer into the village. The whole of Thorpeness needs to wake up to the real flood risk.”
A village worth saving
The community has rallied around to secure temporary rock armour defences, but Roger says longer-term investment is crucial.
“Thorpe Ness is a unique village, 350 homes, built more than a century ago, with real heritage and national significance. It’s absolutely worth saving for future generations.”
The village was first created by Stuart Ogilvy as a seaside holiday resort in the early 1900s, and continues to attract visitors from across the country.
Looking ahead
While emergency works are expected to start later this year, Roger fears short-term spending will be wasted unless it feeds into a permanent solution.
“It would be a shame to spend money now on temporary works that then need to be removed. There needs to be longer-term thinking to protect the coast.”
Campaigners say they want Thorpeness to be given the same priority as nearby Sizewell and Aldeburgh, where millions are being invested in protecting infrastructure and communities from the sea.