Posted on March 3, 2025
An expected 14,000 tonnes of sand and shingle will be moved to protect 800 homes and 4,000 caravans.
Work is underway to bolster natural flood defences along the west coast of Norfolk as part of their yearly renewal.
Beach recycling will see an expected 14,000 tonnes of sand and shingle will be moved around the beach from where it’s been deposited by the tidal movement of the sea.
The aggregate is taken north to Heacham and South Hunstanton to restore the shingle ridge along a 5km stretch of coastline.
The shingle ridge is a natural flood defence protecting more than 800 properties and 4,000 caravans. The recycling will be completed in time for ground nesting birds and tourists to arrive.
To move thousands of tonnes of material, the Environment Agency uses three 30-tonne dumper trucks, two bulldozers and an excavator.
The recycling follows a report into the shingle ridge which was published in Summer 2024. The Environment Agency is set to begin updating the 2015 Wash East Coast Management Strategy (WECMS) for Hunstanton to Wolferton Creek later this year. The updated strategy will further assess the latest monitoring data and reflect the findings of the Initial Assessment report.
Both Natural England and the RSPB are consulted on the beach recycling to preserve the coastline’s environmental importance. The work is funded by the East Wash Coastal Management Community Interest Company which raises funds from the local community, caravan park owners and landowners. Anglian Water and the Borough Council of Kings Lynn & West Norfolk also contribute to the project.
