A DETAILED vision of how the north Suffolk coastline might change over the next 100 years seems poised to be rubber-stamped at top level.Protecting popular beaches and shoring up defences around Lowestoft harbour are among the proposals being put forward in the finalised shoreline management plan (SMP) for the coast from Lowestoft to Felixstowe.

A DETAILED vision of how the north Suffolk coastline might change over the next 100 years seems poised to be rubber-stamped at top level.

Protecting popular beaches and shoring up defences around Lowestoft harbour are among the proposals being put forward in the finalised shoreline management plan (SMP) for the coast from Lowestoft to Felixstowe.

The final version has been drawn up after three months of public consultations last autumn and looks likely to be approved by environ-ment secretary Hilary Benn and Environment Agency regional top brass in the spring.

The plan looks at the risks of sea erosion and flooding and considers where defences need to be strengthened or where erosion should be allowed to continue over the next century.

In north Suffolk, it envisages:

Protecting Lowestoft Ness and the harbour around Lake Lothing and retaining defences towards the south of the town to keep sand in place on the beach.

Allowing some controlled erosion at Pakefield to help maintain sediment in front of the cliffs to protect the community.

Continuing to protect the main village at Kessingland and the clifftop caravan parks, as well as the A12 Great Yarmouth-London road.

Letting cliffs between Kessingland and Southwold erode so the material can help build up the beach at Southwold.

However, the proposals could increase the risk of loss of property in villages including Covehithe, which sits on top of the sandy cliffs north of Southwold.

The final draft has been discussed by Suffolk Coastal council's cabinet and will be considered by Waveney district councillors on Thursday next week.

The plan is available to view online at www.suffolksmp2.org.uk