Plaque unveiled to mark sea defences

The completion of a multi-million pound sea defence scheme for the coast and the northern Broads was marked by the unveiling of a plaque yesterday.Yarmouth MP Tony Wright and his North Norfolk colleague Norman Lamb were both at the celebration at Waxham Barn near Sea Palling, along with Environment Agency representatives.

The completion of a multi-million pound sea defence scheme for the coast and the northern Broads was marked by the unveiling of a plaque yesterday.

Yarmouth MP Tony Wright and his North Norfolk colleague Norman Lamb were both at the celebration at Waxham Barn near Sea Palling, along with Environment Agency representatives.

The �11m scheme has seen ten timber and steel groynes replaced, new rock groynes built between Horsey and Winterton Ness Gap, rock revetments reconstructed and the beach between Sea Palling and Poplar Farm Gap recharged with sand to prevent failure of the sea wall.

The work will help protect around 500 houses and 3,600 hectares of land.

Dafydd Evans, Environment Agency eastern area manager, said: 'We are committed to protecting this length of coast for at least the next 50 years.

'We have approval to spend a further �10m on this length of coast over the next few years.'

Mr Lamb said: 'It is vital work needed to protect communities and a great reassurance. But we need to keep the pressure up so such work continues.'