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A recent situation in Newport, near Hemsby, Norfolk, has left homeowners shocked as their newly purchased properties are now declared at immediate risk of coastal erosion. Among those affected are a property investor and a retiree who bought homes just months prior, only to learn that their cottages — part of a historical cluster originally built for fishermen around 200 years ago — could soon be lost to the sea. Great Yarmouth Borough Council has classified nine properties in this area as dangerously close to erosion zones and has urged the occupants to vacate for safety reasons.
Nathan Weissbraun, a Manchester-based landlord with around 20 rental properties, purchased a three-bedroom terraced cottage in Newport for £60,000 in September — significantly less than the £115,000 paid by the previous owner earlier that year. Weissbraun expressed frustration over the loss in value: “It was below market value, so it was a good price. It’s a lot of money we’re going to lose and we’re trying to fight our corner so it can stay.” Despite this being his first property in Norfolk, a county he admits he has never visited, he declared it would be the last.
Similarly, Lynn Sweet, aged 64, bought a larger four-bedroom cottage along with a two-bedroom annexe at auction in August for £145,000. She had hoped to rent out the bigger property to support her retirement, but just eight weeks after purchasing it, she was informed it was unsafe and likely to be demolished. While she acknowledged the known erosion risks in Hemsby, Sweet had anticipated having at least another decade or two in her home. Auction House East Anglia acknowledged the distress caused but stated that vendors are entitled to sell their properties while advising prospective buyers to conduct thorough research about potential risks.
Local residents, including Gemma Lomas, who comes from a family that has lived in the Newport cottages for four generations, have been taken aback by how quickly the risk has escalated. “In 2015, we were told we would have 100 years, last year this fell to 30 years, now we are being told it could be weeks,” she said, emphasizing the cultural and historical significance of the homes. The council contends that demolishing properties within the 10-meter erosion zone is necessary to ensure public safety, highlighting that 41 properties have already been demolished in the Hemsby area since December 2025 after significant erosion last winter. With no current compensation scheme in place, the council is trialing relocation assistance funded in part by a £1.6m grant from the Environment Agency to help at-risk homeowners move their properties inland
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