The Dorset Coastal Community Team (DCCT), led by the Dorset Coast Forum, has been awarded £5.6 million to deliver the Dorset Coastal Connections – People and Places project – towards a £13.1 million portfolio of 18 projects aiming to improve and enhance coastal access, public realm infrastructure, increase visitor numbers, connect coastal communities and promote health and well-being.

Working in partnership, the Dorset Coastal Connections – people and places project has been put together in response to work carried out to develop a DCCT economic plan for the Dorset coast. During 2016, workshops were held to look at collaborative ways of implementing the plan. From this work a portfolio project was developed and submitted to the Coastal Community Fund. Dorset Coastal Connections is comprised of 18 coordinated projects between Christchurch & Lyme Regis with a goal of connecting people to the coast, connecting coastal communities to each other & connecting the Dorset coast to the ‘wider world’. Enhanced access and public spaces will be created through creative and innovative approaches using arts and technology.

The ‘chain’ of projects comes under one umbrella, yet each project will be developed and delivered to suit the individual needs of the local area. Each project will work with their own communities to ensure they fit with the local culture and heritage. The projects will also connect with one another, with community/stakeholder engagement and artist input will be an essential ingredient across all locations.

In our project area approximately 23,200 people are employed in the tourism & leisure industry & this represents around 9% of employment in all industries across Dorset. It is clear however that there is a high dependence on tourism in Dorset’s coastal communities with 90% of tourism & leisure sector jobs being located in our project area. All project locations depend on a thriving tourism economy and these areas require renewal & investment to retain and attract new visitors, encourage them to stay longer, increase their spend & encourage visitors to go to other areas along the Dorset coast. By having locations with improved public spaces & better access to the coast will enable to add value to existing business, create new opportunities for investment in the areas and help to increase visitor numbers, the amount of money visitors spend and how long they stay.  This will not only safeguard jobs but provide new jobs. Click here to read more