For homeowners living near Britain’s coastline, coastal erosion represents one of the most devastating threats to their property – and their financial security. The story of Jean Flick in Thorpeness, Suffolk, illustrates the harsh reality facing thousands of coastal property owners across the UK.
Mrs Flick has called her 1928-built home in Thorpeness her sanctuary for 25 years. After losing her first husband to cancer, she found new happiness when she remarried in 1999 and bought the property as a fresh start with her second husband. Tragically, he too passed away from cancer, making the house even more precious as her remaining connection to their life together.
Now, the relentless North Sea threatens to take away what matters most to her. Earlier this year, a section of her garden wall collapsed onto the beach below. The local council has warned that if the cliff edge erodes to within 5 metres of her house, the property will have to be demolished for safety reasons.
The economics of coastal erosion
What makes coastal erosion particularly cruel for property owners is the financial devastation that accompanies the physical loss. Unlike other natural disasters, there’s typically no compensation when the sea claims your home. As Ms Flick explains: “No compensation, we have to pay for it to be pulled down… Without any compensation, where do you buy a house with nothing?”
This reality affects homeowners in several ways:
Property Values Plummet: Homes at risk of erosion become virtually unsellable, trapping owners in properties they cannot leave.
Insurance Issues: Many insurance policies exclude coastal erosion damage, leaving homeowners financially exposed.
Demolition Costs: Property owners must often pay thousands of pounds to safely demolish their own homes when they become dangerous.
No Government Bailout: Unlike flooding, there’s rarely any government compensation scheme for erosion victims.
Fighting back against the tide
Desperate to save her home, Mrs Flick and her daughter are pursuing their own solution: installing rock-filled cages, known as gabions, at the base of the cliffs. These defensive structures can slow erosion but require planning permission and significant personal investment.
The project highlights a common dilemma for coastal homeowners. While local authorities acknowledge the problem, their options are severely limited. East Suffolk Council admitted that accelerated erosion has left “quite limited” options for affected residents.
Climate change and rising seas
Storm Babet in 2023 hit the cliffs near Ms Flick’s home, demonstrating how extreme weather events – becoming more frequent due to climate change – accelerate coastal erosion. This isn’t just a local problem; it’s part of a national crisis affecting communities from Cornwall to Scotland.
Government shoreline management plans often favour “managed realignment” – essentially allowing the sea to reclaim land naturally rather than fighting it with expensive sea walls. While this may make environmental and economic sense on a large scale, it offers little comfort to individual homeowners watching their life savings disappear into the sea.
How this affects home buyers
If you’re considering buying coastal property, or already own a home near the sea, consider these crucial factors:
Research Erosion Rates: Check local council erosion monitoring data and shoreline management plans before buying.
Insurance Coverage: Understand exactly what your home insurance covers regarding coastal erosion.
Future Planning: Consider how long you realistically expect to live in the property given local erosion rates.
Legal Advice: Seek professional advice about your rights and options if erosion threatens your home.
A race against time
For Mrs Flick’s property, time is running out. “Most days you see another little bit gone,” she says of her eroding cliffs. Her battle to secure planning permission for protective gabions represents a desperate fight against both bureaucracy and the relentless forces of nature.
It’s a stark reminder that for coastal property owners, the threat isn’t just financial – it’s deeply personal. “Until it happens to you, you don’t realise the emotion that goes into the fact you’re going to lose your home,” she reflects.
As sea levels rise and storms intensify, more coastal communities will face similar heartbreak. The question facing policymakers is whether society will find ways to support these vulnerable homeowners, or continue to leave them to fight the rising tides alone.