‘There is no great master plan’: anxiety as UK homes, roads and railways sink into the sea
Coastal erosion in the UK is increasingly threatening homes, roads, and railways, particularly in South Devon where the Slapton Line has been severely damaged. Local communities express frustration over the lack of national preparedness and support for addressing these issues. With thousands of properties at risk, experts emphasize the urgent need for a comprehensive adaptation strategy to manage the impacts of climate change.
- ▪The Slapton Line in South Devon was damaged by winter storms, impacting local livelihoods.
- ▪Over 10,000 properties are at risk from coastal erosion in the next 80 years, with some estimates reaching 20,000.
- ▪There is currently no national adaptation strategy in place to address the ongoing coastal erosion crisis.
The Guardian — Environment publishes from United Kingdom and files mainly under climate. We currently carry 14 of its stories.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — Environment |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/23/uk-homes-roads-railways-sink-into-the-sea |
| Publication time | Sat, 23 May 2026 06:00:20 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-23T06:37:24.939Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-23T06:37:24.939Z |
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The road at Slapton Sands, South Devon, which was destroyed in February. Photograph: Jim Wileman/The GuardianView image in fullscreenThe road at Slapton Sands, South Devon, which was destroyed in February. Photograph: Jim Wileman/The GuardianCoastlines‘There is no great master plan’: anxiety as UK homes, roads and railways sink into the sea Increasing coastal erosion has hit communities’ livelihoods and put lifestyles under threatSandra LavilleSat 23 May 2026 02.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe remains of the road linking two towns in south Devon lie crumbled on the foreshore in a mess of tarmac, steel and concrete.The dramatic coastal road, known as the Slapton Line, has an environmentally protected freshwater lake on one side and the sea on the other, and links the towns of…
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