Businesses in Great Yarmouth urged to pay for flood defences

Businesses in Great Yarmouth are being encouraged to help pay for flood defences to protect the town from another tidal surge.Yarmouth came perilously close to serious flooding in 2013. With 30 million pounds needed to help fund repairs along the harbour, local firms are being asked to help out.

Twice in the last eight years, Great Yarmouth has risked severe flooding.In 2007 thousands of homes were under threat as the River rose to dangerously high levels. Homes were evacuated but Yarmouth escaped relastively intact.

Just over a year ago, another tidal surge threatened the town. Again, There was some flooding, but nothing compared to what might have been.

It's against this background that the Tidal Defences Businesses Partnership has been formed.

It will cost 75 million pounds to replace more than a mile of defences. A scheme is due to start next year. Other projects have either just finished, or are about to start. And with 30 million pounds to be raised locally to ensure Government funding in the future,businesses are being encouraged to help out.

With 50 billion pounds of investment in oil and gas and wind energy coming to Yarmouth in the next 20 years, a secure harbour is essential. Providing local funding is more likely to guarantee Government support for flood defences.

Here is Malcolm Robinson's report: