Summary
This report from the House of Commons Communities and Local
Government Committee‘Coastal
Towns’ (HC 351) examines the diversity of coastal towns: the Committee
believes there are specific areas where action is needed to ensure coastal
towns are not neglected.
Many coastal towns share certain
characteristics: physical isolation, deprivation, inward migration of older
people, high levels of transience, outward migration of younger people, poor
quality housing, economic problems, and environmental challenges.
The
demographic profile is particularly striking, with the high proportion of
elderly placing a significant financial burden on the local public sector.
Housing in many coastal towns appears to be characterised by a dual economy,
with high house prices - often fuelled by inward migration and second homes -
alongside a large, low-quality private rented sector.
These factors can
present difficulties for the regeneration of an area, and so many coastal towns
suffer from deprivation and their economic regeneration is of critical
importance.
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How does it affect me?
If you
live or work in a coastal town or are interested in regeneration, this affects
you.
The Committee proposes that, as tourism continues to be an
important industry in many areas, especially in traditional seaside resorts,
the Government needs to adopt a national approach to promote and support
seaside tourism and that there is also a role for economic diversification
strategies to provide opportunities for local people to work in a range of
industries.
Find out more about the
House of
Commons Communities and Local Government Committee.
