Views sought on new coast management plan for Hunstanton

People living in Hunstanton are being invited to have their say on drawing up a new coastal management plan for the resort.

More than 20 organisations are involved in the £80,000 project, which is intended to help reduce the risks of flooding and coastal erosion.

Officials are planning to have drafted a new document by the summer and two public consultation events will take place during the work.

The plan will focus on finding the best ways of maintaining the protection provided by the promenade and its defences and reducing cliff erosion.

The project is being led by West Norfolk Council, which has contributed a quarter of the funding for the work.

The remaining money, around £60,000 has been drawn from the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee’s local levy.

The scheme also includes representatives of Hunstanton town council, the parish councils of Snettisham and Heacham, Norfolk County Council, the Environment Agency and Natural England.

Other groups involved include the town’s Civic Society, the Chamber of Trade, the National Farmers’ Union, residents’ groups and the East Wash Coastal Management Community Interest Company, which was set up to manage efforts to protect the coast following the tidal surge of December 2013.

Ian Devereux, West Norfolk Council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “We’d like to hear the views of people living in the area throughout the creation of this plan.

“The first stage involves reducing a longlist of options for dealing with the risk to Hunstanton’s coastline to a shortlist, and we want your feedback on this.”

Public consultation events are scheduled to take place at Hunstanton’s town hall on Tuesday, February 27 and Monday, April 9, both from 2 to 5pm. An online survey will also be made available.

Further details about the project are available online at www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/hunstantoncoastalmanagementplan