14 July 2006
Tens of thousands of coastal homes are under threat from rising sea levels and what local government leaders have deemed 'woefully inadequate' funding for sea defences.
The annual budget for sea defences, for both building and improving them, is around £75m. This is too low, the Local Government Association says, at a time when global warming is expected to raise sea levels by a third of a metre in the next 50 years, causing the substantial loss of coastal land.
David Sparks, LGA environment spokesman, said: 'These vital defences protect our coastline from flooding and erosion. Many of our sea walls are literally crumbling because they date back to the Victorian era and are reaching the end of their life.'
In order to protect coastal homes, funding for sea defences must urgently be raised, said Sparks, but a balance must be struck between protecting homes and giving taxpayers a fair deal. 'We need a long-term strategy for ensuring that these vital defences are properly funded,' he added.
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