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Purpose, people and identity must be at the heart of coastal regeneration

As an island nation, coastal communities form a significant part of the UK’s population. From well-known seaside resorts, to major cities, to small towns and villages, coastal regeneration brings its own set of unique and diverse challenges. Below, Director, Cat White, who lives and works on the South Coast, explores how we can meet these challenges and the key ingredients to planning for successful coastal regeneration.

For me, living and working on the South Coast is a genuine privilege, but that is not the case for every coastal resident. The lifestyle opportunities are not afforded to all and the constraints, such as infrastructure limitations, seasonal economies and housing pressures can outweigh the benefits.  

Around 8.7 million people live in coastal settlements in England and Wales, equating to approximately 15% of the population^[1]. Considering this spatially, it is equally significant. The ONS identifies 568 coastal built up areas in England and Wales. Our coastal communities go beyond well known seaside resorts, to major cities and small towns and villages along the UK’s extensive coastline.

ONS data highlights that coastal settlements tend to have older populations, lower employment rates and poorer health outcomes than non coastal areas, although these characteristics vary widely between places^[2]. The reliance on seasonal and low paid work, lower educational attainment and disconnected transport infrastructure contributes to entrenched patterns of deprivation in many coastal towns.

With millions of people living in coastal locations and hundreds of towns and cities involved, the regeneration challenge is national in scale but local in delivery. To affect change and plan for successful regeneration, we must focus on purpose, people and identity. 

Purpose 

A critical starting point for effective regeneration is understanding the function of each coastal location. 

Every place is shaped by its geography, economy and history - whether as a tourist resort, port, or commuter settlement. How has the town evolved, what has been lost or gained over time, how does it function today? Knowing its strengths, weaknesses and influences will inform a strategy.  

Too often, coastal towns are treated as a single entity, with boosting tourism seen as an obvious solution. In reality, coastal communities can fall into three broad categories, each with its own drivers and challenges.

1. Tourism-led coastal towns

First is what comes to most people’s mind when you mention the coast. Tourism led coastal towns, often characterised by seasonal economies, a high proportion of service industry jobs and infrastructure shaped by historic, largely Victorian, seaside growth. While tourism remains an important economic asset, many of these towns face issues of low wage employment, under used assets outside peak seasons, and ageing assets of heritage value.

Recent global events such as heightened geopolitical instability in the Middle East may lead to short term shifts in travel behaviour, likely to the benefit of domestic coastal tourism as people opt to holiday closer to home. This will no doubt be welcome, but such temporary boosts cannot be relied upon as a foundation for long term prosperity. 

A buoyant 2026 summer season will only mask the challenges facing coastal communities. There is a need for these areas to move beyond reliance on reactive trends and invest in long term resilience. That means planning for year round economies, diversified employment and places that work equally well for residents as they do for visitors. 

2. Industrial and working coastal towns

Second are industrial and working coastal towns, including ports, fishing communities and energy hubs. These places are shaped by their role in supply chains and industry rather than leisure. Often, however, the use can dominate the coastal area, limiting accessibility or integration with the waterfront. Regeneration here needs to support industry to evolve and modernise to ensure its long-term future, whilst securing sufficient environmental protections and mechanisms for economic growth to be successfully reinvested into the local area.    

3. Suburban or commuter coastal locations

Third are suburban or commuter coastal locations. These places often function as residential extensions of larger cities, benefiting from strong housing markets but facing pressures around affordability, transport capacity, ageing population and environmental resilience.   

Understanding where a location sits within these categories is essential. A one size fits all regeneration model just won’t work. It risks diluting the distinctive strengths of each place.

Identity

Regeneration should be guided by a strong, locally rooted vision that reflects the town’s role, character and relationship with the coast. A clearly articulated and distinctive vision will maintain focus and can be a key instrument for attracting investment and funding, place marketing and securing local buy in.  

Coastal towns differ not only in function, but also in demographic profile, economic resilience and connectivity. Our experience working in coastal locations supports the importance of bespoke, place specific regeneration strategies. 

To start, there is need to develop clear local identity - not just the historic context of the place, but how it works today and aspirations for its future role. For some towns, this may mean repositioning around emerging industries or education and skills. For others, it may involve reshaping tourism to support year round activity or reinforcing a strong sense of place that attracts long term residents rather than short term visitors alone.

Identity also matters in attracting investment. Generating a USP through a credible and distinctive vision provides something for residents, investors and funding decision makers to buy into and understand. This vision needs to be linked to the local geographic, economic and people assets. It should be the result of partnership working between public and private sector partners and those residents who call the place home.

People

Regeneration needs to benefit the people who live and work in coastal communities. Success is not just about attracting visitors or inward investment, but ensuring growth delivers tangible, lasting benefits for all parts of the community. Interventions need to prioritise social value alongside physical change: better access to jobs and skills, improved health and wellbeing, affordable homes, and inclusive public spaces.

Coastal regeneration plays an important role in improving people’s lives. It can revive local economies, protect the environment for existing and future generations, reduce health inequalities and provide new employment, education and transport opportunities. 

Done properly, and embedded in high quality placemaking, it will ensure our coastal communities are more resilient and have a sustainable long-term future.    

For more information on coastal regeneration, please get in touch with Cat White. Cat will be attending UKREiiF, please get in touch directly to arrange a meeting. 

13 May 2026

[1] ONS 2021 Census data

[2] Coastal communities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021