Seaside communities along the east coast of England have lost at least 183 homes to coastal erosion and landslides over the past 16 years. Figures obtained by the Guardian reveal that properties across the Yorkshire and East Anglian coasts were proactively demolished after councils judged them too vulnerable to remain safely occupied.
The demolitions incurred a cost of £1.1m. The Environment Agency contributed approximately £482,000 towards clearing 61 at-risk homes, with the remaining costs covered by councils and, at times, homeowners.
East Riding of Yorkshire council has demolished 66 homes since 2010, the highest number among the nine local authorities surveyed. Great Yarmouth borough council has removed 64 homes since 2010, all located in Hemsby, with 41 properties removed since December 2025. North Norfolk council has proactively demolished 21 homes over the same period.
East Suffolk council, which only held data for the past six years, recorded a sharp increase in demolitions last year, with 16 homes removed between May last year and April this year, compared to eight between 2020 and 2024.