Norwegian rocks could be shipped in to defend town
Paul Moseley/BBCTen thousand tonnes of rock could be transported about 600 miles (950km) across the North Sea to the English coast as part of efforts to protect a town's sea wall.
King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council said it needed to strengthen sea defences along the Hunstanton promenade after investigations found cracks.
It plans to bring granite rock armour from Norway to King's Lynn, before then transporting it up the coast to Hunstanton by land.
It will be an interim measure before a wider £40m project is completed to repair the sea wall, now more vulnerable because sand is being washed away by changing tides.
Shaun Whitmore/BBCDave Robson, the council's environmental health manager, said the sea wall was at risk of sliding forwards and slumping and without intervention there was a risk it could fail.
"We have caught it early enough to prevent it collapsing," he added.
The new rock armour will be approximately 200m (650ft) in length and 9m (29ft) wide once installed, with each three tonne rock being about the size of a family car.
It is likely to be delivered from Norway to King's Lynn port, as the water is too shallow to deliver it directly to Hunstanton's seafront, which looks over the vast Wash estuary.
The armour will be placed in front of the sea wall near where the amusements are, and the pier used to be.
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The rocks are expected to be from Norway as it is a major source for the material needed.
Work will not begin until next year, as licences and planning permission are required before it can go ahead.
It could take up to 12 weeks to complete and will be paid for using Community Infrastructure Levy money - funds from developers provided as part of housing projects - and from the council's capital budget.
Sandra Squire, cabinet member for environment at the Independent-controlled authority, said any impact to businesses along the promenade would be kept to a minimum as the rock armour will be installed out of season.
The promenade will also remain open.
Borough Council of King's Lynn & West NorfolkIt follows an announcement last year that parts of the sea wall's foundations at Hunstanton have become exposed and damaged.
The council said more than 300 of the concrete slabs on the promenade could also need replacing.
Surveys found routine repairs of existing coastal defences were not enough, as some structures were at the end of their designed life and needed replacing.
Funding is yet to be secured for the promenade repairs from the government, which could cost up to £40m.
It is hoped construction work could begin by 2028.
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