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Support for coastal communities at risk

Information for those affected by coastal change, including details of the East Riding Coastal Change Fund (formerly Pathfinder) and Rollback planning guidance.

How does the council help those communities without coastal defences?

In areas where we are unable to build or maintain coastal defences, we offer support and guidance to those who are at risk from coastal erosion.  Subject to conditions, we can help or encourage residents and business owners to:

  •  apply for planning permission to replace threatened coastal properties with new homes further inland, known as ‘rollback'
  • replace threatened assets such as utility supplies in order to increase the life of their coastal properties (a process called adaptation)
  • move from threatened residential properties to homes further inland
  • apply for funding through the East Riding Coastal Change Fund in relation to the above (residents only, subject to availability and eligibility criteria)

Can I claim compensation if I lose property or land because of coastal change?

No. There is no approved process for compensating for the loss of private property or land caused by coastal erosion or tidal flooding (coastal change). This applies throughout England, including in those areas which are not defended or which are affected by managed realignment.

For details of alternative support, please read about the East Riding Coastal Change Fund below.

What is the East Riding Coastal Change Fund?

The East Riding Coastal Change Fund is a project which offers limited financial assistance and free advice to residents affected by coastal erosion.  If you own or rent a property which is at risk from erosion, you might qualify for a Relocation Package or an Adaptation Package:

Relocation Package (funding for some or all of the following options):

  • Property demolition and site restoration (total cost)

  • Relocation (such as removal van hire or temporary storage of your belongings) (£1,000 maximum)

  • Out-of-pocket expenses caused by your relocation to a new home (£200 maximum hardship grant)

Adaptation Package (funding for one of the following options):

  • Rollback (out-of-pocket expenses caused by your decision to replace a threatened coastal property with a new home inland.  If you are granted planning permission for rollback, you can consider claiming back the planning application fee and other costs such as planning agent and architect fees.  Unfortunately, funding will not be offered to help you to buy land or to build new property).

  • Assistance grants (for adapting properties which are not at imminent risk from coastal erosion, but which need to be adapted if they are to remain in residential use in the long-term.  Examples include relocating septic tanks or access routes which are at risk from erosion before the properties which they serve).

To discuss your needs, please call the coastal officer on 01482 391713.  As part of your application for a Relocation Package or an Adaptation Package, you will be asked to prove that:

  • You own or live in a property which is estimated to be at risk from coastal erosion by 2055 (this will be confirmed by our coastal engineer)

  • You have owned or lived full-time in, the property which is at risk since 27 October 2010

Please note: we deliver the East Riding Coastal Change Fund using the remainder of a grant issued by the Government in 2010.  Although we are trying to find new money so that we can continue the East Riding Coastal Change Fund once the grant has been spent, unfortunately this cannot be guaranteed.  Therefore, we continue to accept and process applications on a "first come, first served" basis, giving priority to people at greatest risk rather than ring-fencing money for any individuals or particular communities.

What was the East Riding Coastal Change Pathfinder?

In 2010, we received £1.2 million from the Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to deliver 1 of 15 national Coastal Change Pathfinder projects.  We delivered our East Riding Coastal Change Pathfinder between February 2010 and March 2012 in order to trial new ways of helping people to adapt to living on an eroding coastline.  

We gave financial assistance to 36 households along our coastline, supporting 16 relocations, 43 property demolitions, and several adaptation projects.  The remainder of the grant is currently available to coastal residents for adaptation and relocation through the East Riding Coastal Change Fund, as detailed above.

Can I get planning permission to build at the coast?

Yes, if the development being proposed is appropriate and satisfies national and local planning policy.  Development in the coastal zone is subject to normal controls, and we base our decisions on planning applications upon the most up-to-date information available.  We assess plans for temporary coastal developments against the Coastal Change Management Area in the East Riding Local Plan.

We have a number of local planning policies to help support adaptation to coastal change and to avoid inappropriate new development in areas affected by coastal erosion.

For more information about the planning application process, please visit our Planning pages.

What is ‘Rollback’?

‘Rollback’ refers to the relocation of property and infrastructure further inland from the eroding coastline.

We assess each application for ‘rollback’ on its merits, using engineers' erosion monitoring data to work out the level of risk to the existing property and the suitability of the proposed 'rollback' plot.  We assess proposals for 'rollback' against policy ENV6 in the East Riding Local Plan.

For information on how to apply for 'rollback', please contact the Development Management team on (01482) 393800 or at planning@eastriding.gov.uk.  

For details of possible support for rollback, please read about the East Riding Coastal Change Fund at the top of this page.