A record storm surge in 1953 devastated much of eastern England’s coast, prompting prolific investment in concrete sea walls, wooden groynes and other engineered structures designed to protect the coastline from erosion. These measures brought a reassuring sense of permanence for people in previously risky locations. Houses atop sandy cliffs and tucked behind or among sand dunes went from being holiday homes to permanent residences, and new homes were built nearby.
But decades later, the east coast and other parts of England are still eroding – rapidly in some places – despite efforts to hold the coastline in place.
