Court appeal 'a waste of money'

Peter Boggis used 250,000 tonnes of compacted clay to protect his home

A Suffolk man fighting to save his home from coastal erosion has accused Natural England of "wasting time and money" in appealing a court ruling.

Peter Boggis, 77, was stopped from defending the area of coast near Easton Bavents after it was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 2006.

But last month a High Court judge said Natural England's decision to allow the cliffs to erode was unlawful.

Now Mr Boggis has criticised Natural England for appealing that ruling.

The retired engineer's comments came after the government agency, which is responsible for the country's natural features, announced its intention to take the matter back to the courts.

He said: "Natural England may not think this appeal is a waste of time and money but it most positively is.

"I find the waste of public funds in this matter extremely sad.

"We are fighting for the right of people to protect themselves and their homes."

He said his home and 13 others nearby were at risk of eventually slipping into the North Sea, with one property currently 26ft (8m) from the cliff edge.

Natural England wanted the cliffs to be allowed to erode so that fossils within them would be exposed.

At the time of the appeal being lodged, Shaun Thomas, regional director of Natural England, said the decision to appeal was made to avoid an "unworkable precedent".

He said Natural England wanted to work with Mr Boggis to "find a solution".