Steps

[Maggie]

My husband and I visited your village today while down here on our hols we'd seen different bits on the news so thought we'd have a look at this now famous coastline it's dreadfull to think nothing is being done to prevent even more loss, we then took a walk down the new steps, what an eye sore for a start and most unpractical if someone does'nt break their neck before the summers out i'll be surprised you cant tell where the steps start and finish as the mesh just runs into one as you look down and I cant envisage anyone carry alot of eqipment down to spend an afternoon on the beach, surely the money spent on moving the lifeboat and errecting the steps would have been better spent on repairing the old ramp

[Val Bungay]

I quite agree we to came for a visit the steps are awful and a terrible eyesore for the poor locals i realy feel for the people of Happisburgh not knowing their fate

[david moore]

when the steps were being installed i had a chance to speak with the designer of the structure. It was clear he had to strike a balance between a structure that was safe, that was built to cope with upward wind force from the beach below as well as the effect of waves. It also had to be usable to the majority. Had the bridge been a solid structure it would have acted as a wing in high winds, hence the open structure of the mesh. Whilst it would have been nice to have a structure that was visually appealing and allowing access to the beach for all that would have taken forever and a greater budget. I doubt if it would have been ready this summer.The steps should be accepted for what they are and adapted/altered to increase safety for the less able.The nose of each step should at the least be coloured to highlight it from the step below. If left alone they are going to be the cause of some nasty falls due to the lack of visual depth of field/awareness of the steps. This is a health and safety issue and if not corrected and an injury is caused i can see the steps being closed down whilst the Council be sued for its failure in rectifying a simple design fault. I hope common sense prevails.

[mick]

went to the beach today i did manage to get down the steps and back up without breaking my neck but the mrs only went as far as the first flight her eyesight isnt to good and she reckoned she couldnt tell where the steps started and finished so went back to the car and waited for me if people come it will only be the once i certainly wont be going down them again

[Anita Richmond]

I agree with previous postings the steps are an eyesore.If like myself you have a fear of heights they are a nightmare. I cannot even get past the first walkway I get stuck about halfway.
My daughter had to get her dad to carry her baby down as she was to scared to do so .
Typical pictures of beaches show young children having fun,I am afraid we are going to loose all the holiday makers whose idea of an lovely unspoilt beach for the children was with us. They will be too worried about them coming to grief on the steps.

[Mark]

Just been down for 2 weeks, the steps are a little difficult for some people I agree but they are better than nothing at all. I, my wife and our dog made great use of them during the time we were there.
BUT..... It seems to me from the people that I have spoken to that the council played a part in the distruction of the ramp by taking the large rocks down a ramp that has only about 8" of concrete on the top.
Therefore, shouldent the council put the problem of the ramp right?
I did also hear how much it cost to move the life boat to Cart gap.
If organisations could work together perhaps the ramp could be restored and defences increased around that area. After all, our caravan site owner worked with the council to locate the steps access from the touring field and good for them. Hopefully, the Hill house beer fest brought a few more people to Happisburgh now knowing that beach access is there and by word and mouth more people will come to this lovely Norfolk village.

[Malcolm Kerby]

I have listened to comment from locals and visitors alike as well as noting comments on the website forum (which I very much welcome) about the new steps for access to the beach. What is worrying is the amount of misinformation and misunderstanding surrounding the steps. As I have been as close as anyone to this problem and solution I thought I should place on record my understanding and overview re the steps and their placement.
The first thing to remember is that they were put in place as a direct result of NNDC (North Norfolk District Council) responding to our extreme concern over the beach being 'cut off' from the village. I was made aware at a very early stage of some of the constraints under which the Local Authority had to work, these included:

1) A relatively stable piece of land was needed for beach access
2) A specific agreement was needed with the land owner
3) The only relatively stable piece of land on which an access could be constructed is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed and enforceable by English Nature
4) Because of the SSSI, English Nature required the new access to be independent of the cliff. They did not allow the cliff to be cut out
5) Planning consent was required.
6) The design and construction of the steps had to comply in all respects with current British and European Standards and Codes of Practice.

Having said all of that let us look at the failure of the old ramp. To the best of my knowledge no rock was ever taken down the ramp, it was all delivered to the end of Beach Road, off-loaded into the adjacent field and dropped over the cliff onto the beach. Heavy plant located at Decca Field Cart Gap (opposite the Low Light) tracked down daily onto the beach when tides were right to pick up the rock from the stock pile, place it into very large dump trucks and cart it along to where it was going to be finally placed. A large excavator then tracked along the beach and placed the rock in it's final position. There was no need to use the ramp. The ramp failed when the beach / sand / clay was eroded away exposing it's foundations and it failed by gradual collapse. All beach access ramps have to be robust enough to support the heavy plant used for coast protection works. That is why they are initially built. If work is needed on a beach very heavy plant will need to be taken across any beach access ramp and the ramps have to be capable of supporting the loads. That is what they are designed to do. Our ramp has significantly failed. It would be shortsighted in the extreme to try and rebuild it in the present location when everything around it is eroding and is likely to continue to erode until something is done to stop it !! Which is why the council and CCAG both independently and by working together are trying to get central government i.e. DEFRA to grant aid coast protection works for Happisburgh.

I cannot comment on the operational policies and or intentions of the RNLI but I can say that all parties concerned did work closely together to maintain the service of saving life at sea. Personally I am extremely proud of the fact that throughout a very difficult period for all concerned Happisburgh Lifeboat has been 'on station' or ready to go at all times. No mean feat I assure you.

I would wholeheartedly agree that the steps are not exactly a pretty sight but let us remember they are an interim, functional answer to a particular problem. The real solution for Happisburgh is another proper ramp to replace the one lost, however it is difficult to see how that can be achieved other than as part of a proper effective coast protection scheme. Which is something that both CCAG and NNDC are working towards. To this end I would remind everyone that the steps, the loss of the ramp (causing relocation of the lifeboat) loss of property and land and the ongoing erosion at an alarming rate are the direct result of HM Government's (DEFRA) adversarial unworkable attitude and policies. So if we are going to attack authority in this matter let us attack those who have put us in this situation not those who are working in our interests. There is but one thing standing between our coast defence problem, in all it's forms, and it's solution. That is DEFRA and it's ill thought out over complicated criteria which actively prevents our protection.

What I believe we should be doing locally is lobbying our District Council elected members to influence NNDC policy to secure greater funding of coast defence works to ensure more money is available and put in to creating/maintaining defences. I firmly believe 84p per hundred pounds of Council Tax paid to NNDC is not enough. It is also important to remember that for every thousand pounds we pay NNDC they retain just app. £94.00. The remainder goes to County Council, Police etc.

In the meantime wooden steps over the revetments close to the metal steps have been completed and work starts tomorrow Friday 27th June to clear and make safe the ramp area. It is anticipated this work will continue through next week.

Malcolm Kerby.

[Kathy]

Can I just add my two penneth about the steps?
While I agree they are not a perfect solution for everybody I still think they are preferable to adventurous children trying to find their own way to the beach and then getting cut off by the tide.
After reading the design constraints I am amazed that they were built at all.
Lets hope that the same determination prevails regarding proper coastal defences.

[hickling gc]

As a regular and long standing visitor I wonder if a national appeal for funds to help reinstate the slipway to the beach similar to the one at Sea Palling or at least a sloping walkway for now could be launched, obviously the sea defences must be built at some point to stop the sea entering the broadland area, so the sooner the better! I would be willing to contribute to such a fund to the best of my prevailing abilities at the time.

[Ben Hughes]

Wouldn't it have been a good idea to colour the steps to make them stand out from the rest of the structure? At least them, people walking down to the beach could distinguish between the step and fresh air.

[Jo Bury]

I have been coming to Happisburgh for many years and have found it very sad that each time weve come theres alot more gone the last time we came was when Oversands was being taken apart bit by bit it was good to see that the owner had plenty of help from both male and female shows what type of community this is well weve just returned home from another visit and while being good to get onto the beach we couldnt help agreeing with the rest of the comments all it needs is a coloured band on each step so you knew where you were stepping keep up the fight were all behind you.

[Malcolm Kerby]

I am sure people have noticed the red paint on the upright edge of the steps. Contractors were instructed to colour the top edge but they seem to have got it wrong. So yes we all agree the leading edge of each step should be highlighted and I believe this will be addressed soon.

Malcolm Kerby

[Jo]

Sorry if I rattled your cage Malcomn your reply seemed to have a bit of a sour tone to it I thought the forum was open to all to air their views I must have got it wrong

[Malcolm Kerby]

Jo,

There was no sour tone intended in my response , my apologies if it came across that way. I really do welcome everyone's point of view on the forum it is exactly what it was created for, so keep it coming !

Actually my reply was short as i was looking for the easiest way to let everyone know the matter is in hand. I just wish we had more open or forthright comment. It would be very pleasing if more people were to place their thoughts about DEFRA on record. you may remember last year we lost a scheme costing only £750.000 . I understand DEFRA have recently paid someone £500,000 to design their logo. It doesn't get much sillier than that.

Again, it is very much an open forum all points of view are welcome.

Malcolm Kerby

[Jo]

Apology accepted, maybe people have voiced their opinions on the steps rather than Defra because they were able to see the steps but I dont suppose alot of people even know who Defra are let alone how useless they've been in your fight for sea defences.