Anne Jones is determined to appeal after her plan for new homes was denied, citing urgent need due to coastal erosion.
Southwold: A landowner named Anne Jones is not backing down after losing her plan to build new homes on the coast. She’s been through a lot, having lost three houses to cliff erosion already.
Anne, who’s 55, wanted to put up four new ‘demountable’ homes on her family’s land, which they’ve owned since 1920. These homes could be easily assembled and taken down, making them a flexible option.
Back in 2020, storms forced her to demolish three homes in Easton Bavents because they were too close to the cliff edge. Now, she’s appealing to the Planning Inspectorate after East Suffolk Council rejected her proposal for several reasons, including concerns about the size of the new homes and their impact on the landscape.
Anne feels like they’re facing total destruction from the sea without any support. She believes this was a missed chance to come up with a creative solution to the problem. She’s frustrated that the council won’t help people replace homes on their own land.
The homes were designed by Studio Bark and would be made from timber, which means they could be moved if needed. Anne was waiting to get cost estimates until her plans were approved, but similar homes typically start at around £200,000 each.
These new homes were meant to replace the East End Cottages that were demolished four years ago, along with Warren House, which is still standing but dangerously close to the cliff.
East Suffolk Council argued that the area is outside the coastal change management zone and that there wasn’t enough evidence to justify replacing the homes preemptively. They also mentioned that the current homes might last beyond 20 years.
Anne disagrees, saying the council’s management area is outdated and doesn’t consider the rapid pace of climate change. She’s been working with the council for nearly 15 years to find a solution but feels they’ve been uncooperative.
She’s appealing to the planning inspectorate, hoping for a fair assessment. With climate change speeding up, she’s worried about losing more land. Every storm seems to take another piece of the cliff away.
Anne mentioned it could take up to nine months for the inspectorate to review her appeal. Over the years, her family’s company has lost over 200 acres of land and five properties to the sea, estimating their losses at more than £1 million.
