Communities on Britain’s coastline have fallen behind the rest of the country but the government could unlock their potential by adjusting its Levelling Up policy, according to research published on 1^st February.

Last week we covered the story of the release of a new report commissioned by the Coastal Communities Alliance (CCA), the Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group (LGA Coastal SIG) and the Coastal Partnerships Network (CPN) and produced by Pragmatix Advisory.

The report says some of the challenges faced by coastal communities have developed over years or decades, and will require longer term funding strategies.

It says the government should consider:

• Changing the local government funding formula to better reflect deprivation and the needs of coastal communities.
• Long term, sustainable funding to support projects across their full lifespan – at the moment help for coastal communities is often time-limited.
• Strategic funding which would allow authorities to merge different streams to achieve levelling up in coastal communities.

The right support would boost growth and see coastal areas contribute far more to the wider UK economy, says the report.

Councillor Ernest Gibson, Chair of the LGA Coastal SIG, says: “The coastal fringe is home to some of the most unique yet fragile communities within the country. Their position on the periphery provides them with a host of opportunities as well as challenges. The government must consider sustainable long-term solutions to allow our valuable coastal communities to thrive, maximise the significant opportunities that exist around tourism and the green economy, and build more resilience into their futures.”

The full report can be read here.