Homeowner left devastated after being forced to demolish dream house despite raising £250k for sea defences

Susanna Siddell
Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:22:48 +0000

A Suffolk homeowner has been left devastated after being forced to demolish her dream home - despite raising an eye-watering £250,000 for new coastal defences.

Sophie Marple, 55, spent years campaigning alongside fellow Thorpeness residents for barriers to shield their homes from the eroding coastline.

The community successfully raised £250,000 for temporary rock bags along the beach to protect their much-loved homes.

East Suffolk Council announced earlier this year it would provide an additional £300,000 towards further protection.

However, Ms Marple was stunned to learn the rock barrier ends before reaching her home and that of her neighbour, Meg Walker.

Instead, the defences stand guard before a plot of empty land.

"It is absolutely unjust," Ms Marple told the Daily Mail.

She added: "We are all facing the same erosion and the same risk so to say that we don't count and demolition is the only option has left me gob-smacked."

The total protection scheme cost £550,000, combining council funds with the money raised by villagers and threatened homeowners.

Just over the past year, erosion has claimed 27 metres of cliff in Thorpeness, already claiming homes along the coast.

And, now, the fence at the rear of Ms Marple's property now sits just three metres from the cliff edge.

Six weeks ago, eight metres of coastline vanished in what she described as a "shocking acceleration".

Ms Marple rebuilt her dream home 12 years ago following a previous erosion event, when the council and community collaborated on installing defences.

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Her experience had offered up hope that her property would continue to be protected in the "beautiful, historic and magical" place.

She added: "There's always a risk when you buy a house that's sea-facing, but it was an absolute dream of mine."

The mother of two does not know how long her property will survive before demolition will become necessary.

She will be alerted by the council's demolition firm once a "trigger point" is reached.

Her neighbour, Meg Walker, manages the oldest holiday hope in Thorpeness: Shore Cote, a five-bedroom holiday cottage built in 1892.

Ms Walker admitted she felt like she was "being treated slightly unfairly".

She had previously attempted to obtain listed building status for Shore Cote but was told it would likely face demolition regardless.

As it stands, around 10 homes behind Ms Marple's property along North End Avenue could also be at risk if erosion continues.

An East Suffolk Council spokeswoman said legislation prevents the authority from carrying out work in areas of known risk where safe demolition remains possible.

She said: "Extending the rock bags northwards would not be strategically, technically, environmentally or financially feasible, as an extension would cost a minimum of £300,000 in an attempt to slow erosion to only two homes, for a short period of time."

The council has offered Ms Marple direct financial assistance to help safely remove her property if necessary.