Happisburgh still eroding
Mike Pages aerial photo showing the vacated plots at Happisburgh’s Manor Caravan Park
As the main focus has been on the recent Winterton to Hopton mass erosion, we haven’t had much mention of stricken Happisburgh lately. That has a double whammy, inasmuch as not only do they continue to suffer erosion of the beach sand allowing the waves to reach the cliff base, but also ‘slippery’ cliffs. The cliff there is mainly composed of clay and shale pushed up by the glaciers in the ice age, once firm land. When the glaciers ceased to venture beyond that part of North Norfolk, their melt deposited the high ground material around Kelling and at the cliffs. The water run-off from the roads and properties served to seep into the clay of the cliffs, promoting their slippage.
Manor Caravan Park, Happisburgh. Site warden, Elwyn Bowler. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY
Five metres more of cliff face has slid down in the past three months, now leaving the caravan park very vulnerable. People are moving their caravans inland before the plots they are located on disappear over the edge. Twelve caravans have been moved already. The entire site could be lost to the sea by 2025. The economic impact is severe now.
North Norfolk District Council have offered up to €200,000 euros (circa £160,000) of Pathfinder scheme cash to help the caravan site relocate.
