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Adapting to coastal change

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15 June 2009: Consultation on Coastal Change Policy published. A news release has been published.

Supporting communities that may be affected by coastal erosion and flooding

Caravan park in the East Riding Coastal Zone where the concept of "rollback"is being examinedThis cross-Government project is developing approaches to support communities that face risks of coastal erosion and coastal flooding in cases where properties, businesses and infrastructure are significantly impacted. This work aims to ensure that communities and infrastructure are more resilient to the impacts of coastal change.

To deliver this project Defra is working with a range of organisations and local Government to generate and then test possible methods. These will form a coastal change policy framework which will set out how government and communities can respond to and plan for change. Coastal change policy will be, designed to help communities achieve sustainable, long-term management, including:

  • improved planning for risk and adaptation
  • measures to help people, businesses and infrastructure providers manage the impact on their assets
  • measures to ensure that the cultural heritage and environmental value of a coastline is conserved by adapting to change rather than resisting it.
  • ways to improve community engagement in planning and discussing possible changes.

As part of this work Defra has published a coastal change consultation. This consultation sets out our ideas for how coastal communities can successfully adapt to the impacts of coastal change, and Government’s role in supporting this.

The consultation also provides details of a new coastal change pathfinder programme that we are intending to establish. Bids are invited from coastal local authorities interested in becoming coastal change pathfinders. Pathfinders would be able to explore some of the ideas and approaches set out in the consultation. A new coastal change fund of up to £11 million is available to support their work.

Draft Guidance on Community Adaptation Planning and Engagement to support the Pathfinder programme has been also published (This link will take you to another website). The aim of this guidance is to provide a framework for local authorities and coastal community partners to lead or support the processes of adaptation and engagement, whilst fully respecting the various circumstances faced by coastal communities. This guidance itself does not deliver adaptation or provide funding, but it does provide ways to open up space for dialogue about these matters.

We are also asking for views on a proposed approach to enabling local authorities to provide practical assistance to home owners experiencing complete loss of a home as a result of coastal erosion.

There are a number of examples of where government and other authorities are working with coastal communities to help them adapt to their changing coastline. These include:

Project outputs to date

A team of researchers led by Cardiff University have explored with key consultees the issues arising from a change in management approach, primarily on the coast but also considering the fluvial context. The researchers explored the possible use of a number of “tools” and these are set out in the report below. Although it is recognised that there is no “one-stop” solution that would deal with the complex situations that exist in flood and coastal erosion risk management, the report gives a better understanding of the issues and concerns, including from a social perspective. We will now consider the possible solutions and explore those that are worth considering in further detail.

  • Preliminary Report (PDF large file, 2.3mb), Adapting to Changing Coastlines and Rivers, prepared by a research team led by the University of Cardiff and setting out possible tools for adaptation.
  • Executive Summary (PDF)

A short project was commissioned from Risk & Policy Analysts Ltd to examine how property prices respond to coastal erosion risk.  The study considers two specific contexts:  where there has never been a defence and where there has been a decision to withdraw public investment from publicly funded coast protection works.

  • Final Report (PDF large file 4mb) Changes in asset values on eroding coasts
  • Executive Summary (PDF) available as a separate file for quicker downloading

NB Please note that the views expressed in the report are those of the research team and, while this research was commissioned by Defra, the publication of the report itself does not imply any change in policy

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Page last modified: 13 July 2009
Page published: 23 July 2008