This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/suffolk/7766782.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Man wins cliff home erosion case | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A retired engineer has won the latest stage of his fight to protect his Suffolk home from falling into the sea. | A retired engineer has won the latest stage of his fight to protect his Suffolk home from falling into the sea. |
| Natural England wanted fossil-bearing cliffs near Southwold to be allowed to erode raising the prospect that some homes could fall into the sea. | Natural England wanted fossil-bearing cliffs near Southwold to be allowed to erode raising the prospect that some homes could fall into the sea. |
| But Peter Boggis, 77, installed his own defences near his Easton Bavents home. | But Peter Boggis, 77, installed his own defences near his Easton Bavents home. |
| High Court judge Mr Justice Blair ruled Natural England's decision to permit erosion for "scientific reasons" was unlawful but it can appeal. | |
| Living a nightmare | Living a nightmare |
| Mr Boggis said: "Mr Justice Blair's judgment lifts a great shadow from my mind and gives hope for the future for those that live by the coast of Britain. | Mr Boggis said: "Mr Justice Blair's judgment lifts a great shadow from my mind and gives hope for the future for those that live by the coast of Britain. |
| "We have lived a nightmare in recent years. Inconvenient or not to bureaucracy, the defence of the coast should not be walked away from." | "We have lived a nightmare in recent years. Inconvenient or not to bureaucracy, the defence of the coast should not be walked away from." |
| Natural England declared the area a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2006, which prevented Mr Boggis from maintaining his sea defence barrier. | Natural England declared the area a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2006, which prevented Mr Boggis from maintaining his sea defence barrier. |
| Mr Boggis argued that Natural England had no legal right to stop him saving his home. | Mr Boggis argued that Natural England had no legal right to stop him saving his home. |
| He spent tens of thousands of pounds building his own sea defences out of 250,000 tonnes of compacted clay soils to prevent his home and 13 others nearby from eventually slipping into the North Sea. | He spent tens of thousands of pounds building his own sea defences out of 250,000 tonnes of compacted clay soils to prevent his home and 13 others nearby from eventually slipping into the North Sea. |
| But he will not be able to resume maintenance of his sea defences until after a possible appeal by Natural England against the ruling. | But he will not be able to resume maintenance of his sea defences until after a possible appeal by Natural England against the ruling. |