Adapting to coastal change in north Norfolk, UK

Over the past 200 years society's response to coastal flooding or erosion has been to provide defences to combat or eliminate that threat. A combination of economic pressures, a better understanding of coastal processes and of the impact of those defences on these processes has led to the development of new approaches to coastal management. This paper will show how, by linking planning policies to various types of intervention, a workable, sustainable and equitable approach can be achieved. The need to work closely with communities is emphasised with examples and case studies. Development in zones at risk should be restricted, but equally development should be permitted, perhaps by exception, in other areas to ensure the continuing viability of coastal communities. While the headline issues are around the loss of homes, a part of this process is to ensure that community assets, lost or threatened by coastal change, are also replaced or relocated. The UK's North Norfolk District Council was the recipient of a £3 million grant from the government's coastal change fund to trial a number of different approaches that can be made, working closely with partners and the coastal communities affected. The paper will describe the various projects (e.g. relocating a village hall, removing derelict defences, acquiring and replacing housing, supporting businesses), programme governance, communications, discuss the problems encountered, how they were addressed and report on the undoubted success of many of the measures that were trialled.