Erosion to cause £21m damage and lose over 90 Isle of Wight homes

Communities on the Island are among those worst affected in England, namely the coastline around Binstead and Quarr, Thorness Bay to Gurnard Bay and Colwell Bay.

These areas are estimated to lose 92 homes worth £21,561,453, with 23 around Binstead and Quar, 33 in Thorness and Gurnard and 36 in the Colwell Bay area.

One Home’s England’s Communities Under Threat Interactive Map is the most up-to-date look at the state of our disappearing cliffs and the threat coastal erosion poses to our most at-risk seaside towns and villages.

Big waves at Freshwater Bay (Image: Sienna Anderson)

Plotted using existing Environment Agency data and Shoreline Management Plans, the map illustrates where no new sea defences will be built to defend against erosion, leaving homes vulnerable to the sea. 

One Home, a not-for-profit social enterprise which aims to help households adapt to a low-cost, low-carbon lifestyle, says there is no active intervention policy to counter the threat posed to Island homes.

Storm at Cowes seafront (Image: Ian Dickens)

Angela Terry, One Home chief executive, said: “Sea levels are rising as global temperatures soar and so larger waves batter our coast during severe storms. These irreversible changes mean some cliff faces are crumbling fast. 

“We can’t turn the tide or build a wall around the entire coast, so we urgently need to help seaside communities to prepare for the damage that will come.”

“Currently, for those homes at risk, there is no compensation scheme available. Owners might be asked to pay to demolish their homes while still paying their mortgage.” 

To view the Isle of Wight interactive map, visit the One Home website here.