£30 million to fight coastal erosion

The government has announced £30 million for coastal communities across England to battle shore erosion.

As part of the Environment Agency’s new Coastal Adaptation Pilots, £18 million will be shared between coastal projects across the East Riding of Yorkshire, Norfolk and Suffolk to continue advanced coastal adaptation work.

The money could be spent on selective property purchases or long-term financing solutions in areas where homes face imminent risk from erosion.

An additional £12 million will also be made available to Regional Flood and Coastal Committees (RFCCs) to select projects that can deliver smaller scale adaptation readiness actions. This could include moving community buildings away from at-risk areas, testing early warning systems that can alert residents to erosion events, and improving beach access and coastal tourism infrastructure.

Environment Agency’s chair Alan Lovell said: “England has some of the fastest eroding coastline in Europe, and climate change is accelerating these pressures.

“Through the Coastal Adaptation Pilots, we are supporting coastal communities to plan ahead and prepare for a safer and more resilient future.

“We are committed to sharing our learning across the country so that all coastal communities at risk can benefit from the climate adaptation actions being delivered in these areas.”

Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “Coastal erosion is one of the most challenging impacts of climate change, and we will always support our towns to adapt where the forces of nature make long-term defence impossible.

“This new government investment will help some of our most at-risk coastal areas take practical action now, while building the evidence we need to support coastal communities across the country in the decades ahead.”