Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of homes that will be threatened by coastal erosion in England and Wales if further coastal defence measures (1) are, and (2) are not, implemented.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

The National Coastal Erosion Risk Map indicates that about 2,000 properties are at risk from loss to coastal erosion in England by 2060 assuming current Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) policies are implemented. By the 2030s around 5,000 properties could be at risk from coastal erosion if SMPs are not implemented, rising to 28,000 properties by the 2060s (based on high emissions scenarios from UKCP09).

SMPs are long term non-statutory plans intended to inform wider strategic planning by local authorities. They identify a sustainable management approach for each stretch of coastline.

The Government is already investing £1.2 billion in coastal erosion and sea flooding schemes better protecting around 200,000 homes by 2021. This investment is part of the 6 year capital investment programme to better protect 300,000 homes from flooding, coastal erosion and sea level rise.