Erosion-hit Hemsby will still fight for sea defences in 2024

"But we are still fighting."

Those are the words of the chairman of Save Hemsby Coastline as the village suffered a tumultuous year that saw a dozen homes demolished, severe road collapses and funding let-downs.

A beachgoer looking up at the doomed Marrams houses following the collapse of the access road. Picture - Denise Bradley (Image: Denise Bradley)But Simon Measures is looking ahead to the new year with a focus on saving as many of the remaining clifftop homes as possible and maintaining the village as a prominent holiday resort.

"It's still the same battle we have been fighting all along," the Save Hemsby Coastline chairman said. 

"We're trying to get legislation changed to allow us to get funding for whatever defence we need."

SHC chairman and Marrams resident Simon Measures in front of the access road. Picture - Denise Bradley (Image: Denise Bradley)In October, Hemsby was refused funding for a planned rock berm scaling 1.3km, as the £15m scheme would only qualify "where hundreds of homes are at risk".

Save Hemsby Coastline launched a petition demanding legislation was changed to consider the potential economic impact - estimated at around £80m annually - the borough of Great Yarmouth would suffer if the resort's businesses were impeded by further erosion.

The petition currently has over 9,000 signatures on charge.org and thousands more in writing.

The group hopes to present the petition to Number 10 Downing Street in early 2024.

Volunteers clearing out the condemned home of a Marrams resident shortly before its demolition. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)"We're also currently discussing what we can do in the short term to shore up the existing parts of the Marrams access road and maintain access to as many people as we can," Mr Measures said.

"It's also becoming quite clear the beach is now too low for a rock berm at this stage. It needs to be built up first, so we think we need to change tack slightly and go back to the original plans of having fishtail groynes installed to catch the sand."

Following consistent high tides, the sand has drastically reduced by the Gap in Hemsby. Picture - Hemsby Independent Lifeboat (Image: Hemsby Independent Lifeboat)Mr Measures said the village had suffered "one bad news event after another" during the past year.

"We're hopeful 2024 will be a little bit calmer and give us the time we need," Mr Measures added. 

"It's no longer just the Marrams that's under threat, it is the roads behind.

"We all suffered big knocks this year. But we've picked ourselves back up and we're going forward."