David Beavan, East Suffolk District Council deputy leader and Southwold representative, calls for extra funding to protect town

A Suffolk councillor has called for central funding to defend a coastal town from the encroaching sea after a surge tide nearly crept over its sea wall last night.

David Beavan, deputy leader of East Suffolk District Council and representative for Southwold ward, has made the appeal after waters almost breached the town’s defence at its harbour.

He has also expressed his concerns about the tides in relation to exposed housing nearby.

However, Dr Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal, has stated East Suffolk District Council is responsible for coastal defences, and that further discussions would be needed.

Cllr Beavan said: “As the tide rose, we met yesterday to consider Southwold’s future.

“It’s lucky that it wasn’t spring tides otherwise it could have gotten over the sea wall; we’re dodging bullets all year and one day soon it’s going to hit us.

“We’ve got to keep the harbour going for as long as we can – we need central funding to help otherwise we’re not going to get stuff done in time and we’ll just be responding to disaster.”

“We also want to concentrate on Buss Creek as that’s where houses are in the salt plain.”

Cllr Beavan also mentioned the need for a wind pump at the harbour to help assuage these issues, and that the town may need a secondary sea wall at Buss Creek to protect the houses.

Coastal Partnership has agreed to look at options for the town to prevent the sea wall from being outflanked.

Cllr Beavan continued: “If another surge coincides with spring tides next week we are in trouble; already this year the sea level has been too high to drain the marshes so we need a wind pump – global warming is real.”

As a result of the big tides, the infamous Potter’s Bridge, on the B1127 near Southwold, has flooded.

Dr Coffey said: “I understand the concerns that Southwold residents will have but Cllr Beavan will know that it is East Suffolk District Council that is responsible for the shoreline management plan and coastal defences.

“The council and cabinet member responsible (Cllr Kay Yule) has not approached me on this matter; I know that the council is trying to secure extra funding in Lowestoft.

“If she does, I will take up their concerns with the Environment Agency and ministers to see if additional funding could be found as part of the partnership funding programme but it will need to start with finding funding locally first.”

Dr Coffey also mentioned that there is also a regional flood and coastal committee that can support requests for project funding.