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A Qualitative & Quantitative
Assessment of Socio-economic
and Environmental Issues and
Opportunities for Coastal
Communities in North West
England
Caroline Salthouse
Rob Hindle
James Shorten
Littoral 2010, London
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National Context
No over-arching policy framework for UK coastal communities Responsibility for policy split across many government departments
BUT a lot of publicly-funded intervention & investment
2003 onwards many national studies, mostly on larger
coastal resorts
2005: Government Select Committee Inquiry into
Coastal Towns call for evidence:
Showed wide variation in size / characteristics
with very different socio-economic profiles
Highlighted the danger of trying to generalise
coastal towns and their problems
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Regional Research Elsewhere
Regional studies carried out in the South East and in
the East of England
Both analysed data at local authority district level
rather than individual communities
Both found the coastal areas performed less well
economically than the rest of the region particularly
re earnings and skills
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Summary of Findings from Elsewhere
National and other regions research indicates considerable
variation but important commonalities:
Significant social and economic challenges
Peripherality made worse by weak transport links
High levels of private rented housing and housing
in poor condition
Changing tourism trends
High seasonal unemployment
Higher numbers of elderly / young
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The North West Regions Coast
Very long coastline stretching from Scotland to Wales (1400km)
21 local authority districts, 22 planning authorities
Over 80% of coast Natural 2000 status
2 World Heritage Sites, 2 Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty, 1 area of Heritage Coast
4 of Englands major ports and several smaller ones
(10 in total)
3 major resort towns Blackpool, Morecambe,
Southport
Big towns (City of Liverpool) and small villages
(Ravenglass)
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The Need for New Research
Recognition by the North West Coastal Forum that while issues forlarger coastal resorts were being addressed by national research
the needs of smaller and non-resort coastal settlements which
make up the bulk of the coastal communities in North West
England were being overlooked
Recognition by the then Regional Planning Body
4NW of the need to build an evidence base for
future spatial planning and other policy for
coastal communities at both regional and local level
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Aims of the Research
Evidence base for future local and regional policy Establish a replicable baseline dataset giving a picture of a
representative sample of our coastal communities
Provide policy-makers with a better understanding
of their needs by demonstrating: The socio-economic and environmental value of those
communities to the region
The issues affecting them
The opportunities they offer the region Examples of value added through intervention
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Research Remit
Different from other national / regional research in that it:
Sought analysis of individual settlements rather than a coastal
zone or local authority/district area
Included assessment of social and
environmental as well as economic factors
Did not seek to make specific policy
recommendations but set out to draw attention to
issues offering insight to policy-makers at regional,
sub-regional and local level
Funded by 4NW and Defra
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Research Approach
Steering Group formed from stakeholders across the region andconsultants appointed (Rural Innovation, c4g and Smiths Gore)
47 of the regions coastal communities selected
on the basis of geographic spread, range of sizes
Small number of inland comparator settlementsincluded
Data gathered at smallest unit feasible usually
Lower Super Output Area
21 datasets used categorised into people, workand place
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Key Datasets Used
Demographics
Household composition Internal / Inward / Outward / Net migration
Vehicle ownership
Travel to work mode
Origin-Destination Travel to Work summary / out / in
Tenure
Population Estimates 2001-2007
Household Mean Gross Family Income
Index of Multiple Deprivation Score
Monthly Claimant counts and proportions
Benefit claimants 2007
Industry of employment Average House Prices 2007 and 2008
2008 Service Availability - % within 0-2km of outlet
% Services within x time travelled by public transport, walking or cycling
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Data Issues
Data geography posed a constant challenge
Problems isolating some communities from others as they run
together but have distinct characters e.g. Lytham and St Annes,
New Brighton worked with local authorities to resolve
Some communities so small the data is suppressede.g. Ravenglass population 334
Some communities so big they skewed a
regional picture e.g. Liverpool population 705336
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Developing a Typology
Data was analysed at 2 levels:
To see the overall picture of coast for the region
A more in-depth study of smaller settlements
Regional picture of limited use due to large variation
Following initial analysis a typology was developed
to describe communities with common characteristics
These types are based on data analysis and
were refined by consultation with stakeholders
at 3 sub-regional workshops
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Typology
The study classifies coastal communities into 4 types: Larger Urban Areas
Maritime Towns
Working Towns by the Sea
Settlements of Choice
Guidance on policy issues and management is
given for each type
Results are summarised for each local authority
area in a Local Authority District Summary
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Larger Urban Areas
Regional or sub-regional centres all in Merseyside
Often post-industrial towns, sharing negative socio-economic
characteristics with similar areas inland
BUT influenced by both coast and by industrial legacy
Maritime character is important but will not be the only future driver
Coastal location offers distinctiveness business opportunities,
connectivity, environmental and quality of life benefits
Principle issue is to ensure overall regeneration effort takes full
account of coastal assets and opportunities
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Maritime Towns
Coast influences very strongly
Defined by functional relationship with the sea so may be ports,
resorts or both
Coastal location attracts people and businesses to them still
Future policy should consider their coastal location as a core issue
and understand the challenges and opportunities it provides
These settlements are the best fit with national research to date
but this category is much broader as it includes ports.
The research has received criticism for this but it is based on data
analysis which has not yet been done elsewhere
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Working Towns by the Sea
No dominant economic link with the sea - if there ever was one it
is long gone
They are not resorts or retirement communities
They lack harbours, promenades, beaches
Share similar socio-economic characteristics with inland
settlements such as market towns
BUT proximity to the sea is still an important part of their character
Future policy should ensure the benefits of a coastal location is
central to their future
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Settlements of Choice
Popular, often affluent, communities usually in a high quality coastalenvironment nice place to live for retirees, commuters, etc.
Strong link to the sea, often developed around a harbour or haven;
their location is their greatest asset
Issues such as long-term vibrancy of population and business, thelow carbon economy (tend to have poor transport links and high
levels of car ownership)
Likely to slip below the regional policy radar as they are small and
not particularly challenged Such communities need gentle but positive management to ensure
they remain sustainable in the long-term
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Local Authority District Summary - Sefton
Description for each community outlining key issues and
opportunities
Typology with definition and policy considerations
Summary of factors to allow easy comparison
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Findings 1
Shared characteristics with other studies:
In comparison with the regional average:
Proportion of benefit claimants is higher
Higher incidence of lone parent households
Higher incidence of multi-occupancy
households
Demographic profile is older
Deprivation is higher Incomes are lower
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Findings 2
Key differences in communities up and down the North Wests
coast
Many of the communities are very different from the Seaside
Towns in national research to date.
North West coastal communities:
Are losing rather than gaining population
Have high levels of social rented housing stock
Overall employment is higher in public
administration than in the retail and hospitality(tourism) sectors
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Importance of Studied Coastal Communities to
the Regions Economy The 47 studied communities have around 2 million people nearly
1/3 of the regions population
The visitor economy is still key in 2007 Blackpool Pleasure
Beach had 5.5 million visitors; Morecambe and Southport 2.5
million each; Tourist Boards use coastal branding
They host 1 in 4 of the regions jobs
They include:
important regional and sub-regional centres
e.g. Liverpool, Blackpool, Barrow
10 ports providing substantial economic
connections
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Application ofResults
Disseminated via regional event and report sent to key regional and
local stakeholders and Government Departments
Results used to present evidence to the All Party Parliamentary
Group Inquiry into Rural Deprivation & Disadvantage
Typology used in draft integrated regional strategy
RS2010 (now defunct due to change in government)
- role in Future NW?
Local Authority District Summaries useful at local
level for Local Development Frameworks and Core
Strategies (e.g. Wirral and Fylde Borough Councils)
Influencing NW Coastal Forum work programme
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FurtherResearch
The research is designed to be replicable at an interval perhaps
5 or 10 years allowing assessment of policy interventions
A key gap identified was analysis of the implications of climate
change for coastal communities because:
Shoreline Management Plans were being revised
and data was not available at that time
Coastal Erosion Risk Mapping was due to
be released but was delayed
The North West Coastal Forum is keen to
commission work to fill this gap
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