By Kate MaxwellCOUNCILLORS have voiced their support for a man's attempts to hold back the sea and protect his cliff-top home by bolstering coastal defences.

By Kate Maxwell

COUNCILLORS have voiced their support for a man's attempts to hold back the sea and protect his cliff-top home by bolstering coastal defences.

Peter Boggis, of Easton Bavents, near Southwold, has been dumping thousands of tonnes of soil at the foot of a cliff near to his home, which he claimed could be swamped by the sea if left unprotected.

But Waveney District Council ordered Mr Boggis to stop the work - which involved about 40 lorry loads of clay soil being delivered a day to reinforce the coastal defences - until it has granted planning permission for the scheme.

Southwold Town Council has now been asked for its comments on the cliff reinforcement project ahead of a decision by district councillors on whether it could continue.

Concerns have been expressed by some residents in Southwold that roads have been damaged by the lorries delivering the clay soil to Mr Boggis' property just north of the town.

At a town council policy and finance committee meeting last night, councillor John Winter said the damage to Field Stile Road was substantial and would need to be repaired “at someone's cost”.

But fellow town councillor Geraldine Bryant said: “I have heard no adverse comments, only petty comments about the state of parts of Field Stile Road.

“I can't go along with petty criticisms over something so quickly remedied - it is not a huge undertaking to reinstate the damage. Personally, I feel Mr Boggis should have as much support as petty criticisms.”

Southwold mayor John Miller added: “There is one thing we should bear in mind which is the possibility that Southwold's beaches could be affected - I hope they won't be, but it is a concern, and I hope our Blue Flag is not affected.”

Town councillor Sue Allen said she thought Waveney District Council had acted “disgracefully” in its treatment of Mr Boggis' attempt to protect his property.

It was agreed common sense had prevailed in the immediate term and councillors expressed a hope that Waveney District Council would process Mr Boggis' planning application speedily.

kate.maxwell@eadt.co.uk