The new head of the Environment Agency has stated that it would be unfeasible to attempt to save parts of the British coastline from erosion, most notably parts of north-east Norfolk and Suffolk. The remark highlighted that some parts of the British coastline are so badly eroded they are not worth protecting from the sea.
In what is being described as his first interview (with The Independent) since taking office, Lord Smith of Finsbury, the former Labour minister Chris Smith, said Britain faces hard choices over which areas of our coast to defend and which to allow the sea to reclaim.
He said detailed work was already far advanced on identifying areas of the east and south coasts, which were most vulnerable to erosion. He suggested that parts of north-east Norfolk and Suffolk faced the greatest threat, according to research by the Agency, which will be released in 2009.
Plans would have to be drawn up to evacuate people from the worst-hit areas.
On the Severn barrage tidal energy project, he reportedly said: "Effectively you would be destroying the fish populations of everything up the river system from the barrier. That is a major environmental downside."
A report on sea defences, due next year, is expected to make uncomfortable reading for parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and elsewhere. Already, the River Blyth, near Southwold, is being abandoned.
