Holderness, The fastest eroding coastline in Europe
'Rubber rocks' face opposition
A plan to create Britain's first large-scale underwater tyre reef off the Holderness coast is sinking.
Cash restrictions and opposition from environment agencies mean an experimental reef is unlikely
to be constructed, according to Alistair Campbell, East Riding's chief coastal protection
engineer.
The project which is estimated to cost �390,000 to complete, was pioneered by Humberside
coastal management joint committee to combat erosion.
Its members felt a tyre reef on the sea bed would slow down the force of North Sea waves. The
theory is it would eventually stop erosion by encouraging a build up of sand on the beach.
The group ploughed more than �100,000 into research for the scheme over 10 years. It was
thought the use of concrete-filled compressed tyres, nicknamed ''rubber rocks'' could mean the
end to collapsing cliffs along the Holderness coast.
No progress has been made on the tyre reef tests since 1995, despite research by Southampton
University which concluded they posed no significant threat to marine or human health.
Mr Campbell said it was too early to sound the death knell for ''rubber rocks,'' but the tide is
turning against man-made sea defences.
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''Anything which interferes with the natural process of the sea is likely to be opposed by English
Nature, the National Rivers Authority and the Countryside Commission,'' said Mr Campbell.
''I don't think it is the right solution for the Holderness coast. Apart from anything else, I don't
think it would work. I know there are a lot of worries by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries
and Food about the proposal. The problem is we don't know who is going to pay for a test.''
Schemes to encourage private industry and Government to fund the project were pioneered by
the former Humberside joint committee. Mr Campbell said the East Riding council would
probably have to commission outside consultants to do that job today.
Hornsea resident Councillor Barbara Jefferson said the authority had to consider funding the tyre
reef tests.
''We cannot sit back and do nothing,'' said Mrs Jefferson. ''I think our officers should be alerted
to the plight of people who face losing their homes and businesses. I am just one independent
councillor. It needs the majority of the council to support such a scheme.''
The test scheme halted when it came to site selection. Sites off Easington and Tunstall were
looked at. Some US states have banned tyre reefs because of poorly organised dumping.
By HDM Reporter
An important document on coastal erosion is taking a battering from critics who claim it
''does nothing'' to protect the coast.
The draft Shoreline Management Plan covering East Yorkshire has dropped plans for a tyre reef
as one solution to the problem.
Yvonne Mars, whose Cowden farmhouse is now only 25 yards away from a cliff top, said the
costly research which went into studying the possibility of building underwater tyre reefs on the
Holderness coast was now money down the drain.
''The option of a reef to give protection was in one draft but has now disappeared," she said.
"From this document it shows the authorities don't want to do any protection at all.''
The Humber Estuary Coastal Authorities Group prepared the document which could guide
policies for 50 years.
It names villages with no chance of protection for the foreseeable future as Barmston, Atwick,
Cowden, Rolston, Aldbrough, Holmpton, Easington and Kilnsea.
East Riding council, which is responsible for new protection schemes, has yet to make a major
policy statement on the issue.
But Labour Councillor Reg Allen claims the document ''gives up the fight'' on coastal erosion and
says he will oppose it.
East Riding council's head of technical services Jim Wheeler said: ''This document has shown
where the group expects it can realistically be expected to defend the coast.''
Councillors will make a formal response to HECAG in July.
Houses in erosion-hit area officially devalued
CAMPAIGNERS who fear 45 homes could be allowed to slip into the sea have seen their
property values officially crash.
Two streets in Withernsea have moved �10,000 down council tax banding in a move believed to
be the first for erosion victims in Britain.
The 45 families are unprotected by Withernsea's sea wall and are living on Europe's fastest
eroding coastline.
Many fear a catastrophic collapse like Scarborough's Holbeck Hall and have been campaigning
for a 500-metre sea wall extension.
The property price crash was prompted by a number of successful appeals to the Valuations
Agency by Withernsea people.
Residents in Turner Avenue, Oak Avenue and Newsham Garden's protested at the high level of
their council tax when they had no sea wall.
The response has sent the price of a three-bedroom semi- detached house in the area down
from �68,000 to �52,000 and affected properties up to 100 metres inland.
Angry residents said their appeals for justice seem to have backfired.
''People do not want their property devaluing, they want a sea wall,'' said Mr Cyril Rowe, the
chairman of the Withernsea South Coastal Protection Committee.
''I really object to the lowering of values. It must be a real blow for people trying to sell their
homes. It also makes it more difficult for us all to get protection."
The overall devaluation knocks �450,000 out of cost-benefit calculations used to decide if
defences are built. In return residents get a �100-a-year windfall.
Retired engineer Ted Lowthorpe (76), of Oak Avenue, whose house was in Band B has now
seen it drop to Band A.
''The most we can ask for this house is �40,000,'' said Mr Lowthorpe. ''Really it is worth more,
at least �45,000. The rebate is not a lot of compensation if our house is going to be lost."
An East Riding council spokesman said several people appealed about their council tax banding
and the Valuation Agency informed the council about revaluation.
The council insists the rate of erosion is not yet serious enough to apply for Government money
to build a sea wall.
Seven years ago John Binnington's house was 100 metres from the sea - now 20 metres have
gone and he fears for the future.
Mr Binnington (81) lives on Turner Avenue, Withernsea, on the fastest eroding coastline in
Europe.
The retired transport foreman believes his house will last his life time, but his family will inherit a
house threatening to fall in to the sea.
''We bought our house for �60,000, but who is going to buy it now?'' says Mr Binnington, who
lives with his wife Lillian (78) and daughter Susan.
The family have spent more than �20,000 on improvements including a conservatory, new
kitchen, bathroom and UPVC windows throughout.
The news that their property has now dropped to band B and worth between �40,000 and
�52,000 has not gone down well.
''I used to live in a two-bedroom house, but bought this house which has three bedrooms, so my
sons could come and stay," said Mr Binnington.
"We never expected any of this trouble. We would never have bought it if we had known.''
''We were originally told that a sea wall would be built and that was a condition of building these
homes, but now they say that was wrong.''
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