Villages in peril as coastline erodes

Large parts of the east and south coasts of Britain are under such a threat from coastal erosion they should be abandoned, the new Environment Agency head Lord Smith of Finsbury has stated.

The former cabinet minister said that some areas are in such peril from the sea that abandonment may be the only option, with parts of Norfolk and Suffolk the most vulnerable of all.

Speaking about the possibility of engineering a coastal defence solution to protect all vulnerable places, he told the Independent: "It would simply be an impossible task both in financial terms and engineering terms."

In such areas defence may not be a "viable" option and abandonment will have to take place, he added.

Those looking to self build their homes may wish to consider such issues when undertaking a plot search.

Erosion of the south and east coast is in contrast to much of the west side of Britain, where many locations have seen the land area increase.

Such new land includes areas such as the banks of the River Dee near Chester, where siltation has turned the city from a port to an inland settlement over the past 400 years.