Excerpt:
The road has become lined with ‘for sale’ signs as residents look to escape the rising tide…
Faversham Road in Seasalter has become dotted with ‘for sale’ signs as locals attempt to escape the rising tide amid the coastal erosion.
Homeowners are rushing to sell after the Environment Agency revealed it will start pulling back protections for the road further inland over the coming decades.
Around 65 homes along the 1.4-mile section sit on the ocean side and beyond the primary flood barriers, vulnerable to even minor storms.
Alex West, 33, has been visiting his seafront family property in Seasalter since childhood, as the house was initially owned by his grandfather.
He explains that his father took over the property when his grandfather died and attempted to sell but regardless of how much he reduced the asking price, no one would buy it.
Alex maintains the property was initially valued at £700,000 and the cost was slashed all the way down to £100,000 before his cousin finally intervened to purchase it.
The family have attempted constructing their own temporary barriers, but they say that their windows continue to be battered by waves on a regular basis.
“Things are only getting worse because the defences are falling down. I think the council just doesn’t want anything to do with it,” Alex said.
“When my grandad was here, he had to change the sea defences at least five times. We are now having to do it even more regularly.
“We looked at getting it done professionally but they quoted us £100,000. Our wall is already falling down, and it was only built six years ago.
“We keep having waves crashing onto the glass windows at the back of the house. It feels like you are on a boat.
“My dad tried to sell it and kept reducing the price but nobody would buy it. You can’t get a mortgage on these, so you need to be a cash buyer.
“Now next-door are trying to sell so I don’t know how they will get on…”
