A number of properties boasting stunning sea views are currently listed between £30k – £50k, with estate agent listings promising ‘a relaxed, coastal lifestyle’ – but there’s a huge catch
Clifftop homes with breathtaking sea views are being snapped up in a coastal village for as little as £30k – but buyers are being warned there’s a serious catch.
At least three properties along the Marrams in Hemsby in Norfolk are currently listed between £30k – £50k, despite sitting on one of Europe’s fastest eroding coastlines. Estate agent listings promise “a relaxed, coastal lifestyle,” but make no mention that the bungalows could one day crumble into the sea.
One property, recently reduced from £60,000 to £50,000, boasts an open plan living, an established garden and “stunning sea views.” Another, marketed by Minors & Brady as an “ideal holiday residence,” sold subject to conditions for £30,000, with “direct access to sandy beaches and dunes.”
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Yet the idyllic setting masks a grim reality. Government projections suggest many homes along the Marrams will vanish within the next 50 years. While estate agents insist that some buyers simply don’t care about the erosion risk and see Hemsby as an affordable escape, local council officials have condemned them for failing to highlight the danger more clearly.
One council spokesperson said agents had “a moral duty” to warn potential buyers their dream homes could be lost to the sea. Though listings include a small-print disclaimer urging buyers to seek legal and environmental advice, critics say it’s nowhere near enough.
The market for risky clifftop living appears to be thriving nonetheless. In July, a wooden chalet perched on the cliff edge sold for under £10,000, despite being only metres from collapse. Another two-bedroom chalet, listed for £60,000, was described as a “perfect blend of comfort, charm and coastal living.”
Natasha Hayes, executive director for places at Great Yarmouth Brough Council (GYBC) said: “Homes are still being sold now. It is awful for the people that are buying them. We do not advise people to purchase these properties. Local estate agents should have a moral duty.”
Locals still living along the crumbling coastline said earlier this week that access was becoming more limited and some residents had to use their neighbour’s gardens to get to their front doors. It is understood that some residents of Hemsby are not year-round homemakers but rather use the coast as their holiday homes. But long-term residents are facing having to leave their homes as the cliff edge erodes.
Pascal Rose, 51, has registered herself homeless after she was told her house was at imminent risk. She told the BBC: “I was advised two weeks ago my home was in the red zone. I am taking everything left out of my property into a storage unit, to be prepared for demolition. I’ve got days. It would be a case of myself just picking my dog up and my suitcase and going, but with nowhere to go.”
Great Yarmouth Borough Council said it is not legally possible for it to compensate homeowners at risk of erosion due to government policy. However, it says that via its partners at Coastal Partnership East, they continue to lobby Government for the rules to be changed.
