
CONTENTS
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY iv
STUDY AIMS AND APPROACH iv KEY FINDINGS iv
RECOMMENDATIONS vii
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 THE CONCEPTUALISATION AND CONCERN WITH THE COAST 1
1.2 STUDY AIMS AND APPROACH 1 STUDY AIMS 1 STUDY APPROACH 1
1.3 STRUCTURE OF REPORT 2
2. WHAT IS LEVELLING UP? 4
2.1 LEVELLING UP 4
3. THE CHALLENGES OF COASTAL LIVING FOR PEOPLE 6
3.1 DEPRIVATION AND LABOUR MARKETS 6
3.2 EDUCATION AND SKILLS 12
3.3 HEALTH INEQUALITIES 13
4. THE CHALLENGES OF COASTAL LIVING FOR PLACES 16
4.1 INDUSTRIES IN DECLINE 17
4.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: TRANSPORT AND DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY 18
4.3 HOUSING 18
4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS 19
5. THE BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COASTAL LIVING 21
5.1 HEALTH AND WELLBEING 21
5.2 ‘STAYCATIONS’: TOURISM POST COVID 19 22
5.3 CREATIVE AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES 25
5.4 HERITAGE ASSETS………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….27
5.5 GREEN INDUSTRIES 27
5.6 MARITIME INDUSTRIES 31
6. CONCLUDING RECOMENDATIONS 33
6.1 RECOMMENDATIONS 33
7. APPENDIX: STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSICATIONS USED 34
8. REFERENCE LIST 35
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region iii | Page
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
This baseline evaluation investigates the social and economic context of living on the coastal edges of the East and South East of England. It qualitatively and quantitatively investigates the unique challenges and potential benefits of coastal living. Lastly, it considers how coastal opportunities could be utilised to address inequalities
STUDY AIMS AND APPROACH
The baseline study investigates the inequalities within coastal towns and communities (CTCs) in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex (the Eastern Arc region). The study aims were as follows:
i. Identify target areas in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex with significant deprivation.
ii. Quantitatively explore and map levels of deprivation and inequalities across the target areas.
iii. Qualitatively investigate the broader challenges and benefits of coastal living.
iv. Identify major investments, assets, and opportunities for the Eastern Arc to engage with.
The study uses a mixed methods approach to investigate living on the coastal edges of the Eastern Arc area. A desk review was conducted to qualitatively explore the challenges and opportunities of coastal living; most of the evidence is at a national level. This was combined with quantitative analysis which identified the target areas and then was used to examine challenges and opportunities for CTCs at a regional and local level. Thedata has been mapped to provide a statistical picture of themes which effect living on the coastal edges.
KEY FINDINGS
Data analysis demonstrates the coastal edges of the Eastern Arc region have high levels of deprivation, clusters of low pay and higher than average unemployment levels Life expectancy for men and women along parts of coastlines fo the Eastern Arc region are lower than the England average and often their inland neighbours. Within the Eastern Arc area, quantitative data analysis shows above average industrial sectors which offer potiential:
• High concentrations of the energy and martine industries, particularly in the East.
• Above average clusters of the tourism industry and visitor economy
• High concentrations of the creative and cultural industries spread along the coast
There are significant levels of deprivation on the coastal edges, with CTCs in the Eastern Arc area some of the most deprived in the country. CTCs face:
• High levels of deprivation, low pay and low skilled work
• Above average working age claimant levels
• Lower levels of education and skills and young people who do access Further Education (FE) or Higher Education (HE) often do not return to their coastal homes due to the lack of opportunites.
• Lower educational attainment reduces aspirations associated with poorer health.
• Lower life expectancy with a range of health inequalities reducing health and wellbeing.
• CTCs struggle to recruit and retain medical and teaching staff which reinforces and exasperates inequalites.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionMost CTCs rely heavily on one, often traditional, industry to support their economy, which leaves them in a risky position The long term decline in tourism and fishing industries has impacted CTCs, who have struggled to overcome the economic decline. CTCs arechallenged by thepoor transport links and digital connectivity, due to a lack of investment and the challenges of coastal geographies. The unique architecture of the coast, a legacy from the Victorian and Edwardian era, and decades of decline has resulted in a poor quality housing stock of large properties. Houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) create a range of problems for CTCs that impact on individuals, communities and services. The coastal geography brings environmental challenges linked to climate change, which incurs extra costs and risks for CTCs.
Many of the challenges discussed are underpinned by deprivation, a lack of long term investment and geography. Along with the challenges of coastal living, there are benefits and opportunites. Historically, the coast is associated with positive benefits to health and wellbeing, with the landscape lending itself to physical activities, relaxation and convalescence. The tourism industry was severely impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic, however as restirictions were lifted it provided new opportunites for domestic tourism as a result of ‘staycations’.
The creative and cultural industries can provide opportunites for CTCs to develop and diversify their economies and bring wider benefits to communities. To succeed, investment, support and community ‘buy in’ is required to ensure long term sustainability. Green industries are another potential opportunity as dueto theirgeography, CTCs areuniquely placed to harness technologies such as offshorewindfarms.
To meet the country’s Net Zero goal, signifcant growth and investment will occur in the green industries over the next decade and beyond, which can provide an economic boost, employment and skills to CTCs. Similarly, maritime industries offer opportunites, if they are supported with investment and innovation to ensure a sustainable (economically and environmentally) future.
Whilst the challenges and opportunties have been discussed thematically, it is important to understand their overlaps. The unique and cumulative challenges for CTCs must be understood within their coastal context (geographically, economically, historically and socially), as this is not a homogeous group. The cumulative nature of some challenges can damage current and future generations if not acted on, for example, the difficulties to recruit and retain teaching/medical staff or the failure to mitigate against climate change.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Eastern Arc partners may wish to consider the following recommendations, to:
i. Continue to build the evidence base of key issues facing CTCs at a local level.
ii. Identify a limited set of collaborative and sustainable interventions in the selected target areas to address the sharp disaparites highlighted in the report.
iii. Develop a framework to share learning and collaborative practices to feedback in realtime which could inform knowledge exchange.
iv. Engage and involve a range of community voices at all stages of future programmes
v. Match the Eastern Arc expertise with identified community needs and barriers to grow and develop dynamic inter discplinary approaches.
vi. Ensure interventions are flexible to meet evolving local needs and aspirations of communities.
vii. Strengthen access for local communites to sectoral opportunites identified in the report.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region1. INTRODUCTION
This report investigates the social and economic inequalities associated with coastal living and quantitatively explores these challenges in the Eastern Arc region The report also examines the opportunities for the communities living on the coastal edges, which could be used to address the challenges they face.
1.1 THE CONCEPTUALISATION AND CONCERN WITH THE COAST
There is no agreed definition of a ‘coastalcommunity’ and limited research into thearea. This lack of definition and evidence makes it difficult to understand coastal towns and communities (CTCs), thechallenges they face and potential solutions. However, the Social Market Foundation (SMF) defines ‘a coastal community as a local authority with coastal borders’ (Corfe, 2017), and it is this definition that has been broadly adopted in the report
The increasing concern over CTCs is apparent in two reports The Future of Seaside Towns (House of Lords, 2019) which broadly investigated the issues facing CTCs and Health in Coastal Communities (Chief Medical Officer, 2021) which focused on the acute health inequalities on the coast. Both reports, highlight the significant challenges CTCs face which limit thelives of coastal residents on various levels. Thecauses intersect a range of issues surrounding a historical lack of understanding and concern for CTCs whose remoteness removes them from broader policy agendas.
The Government’s focuson levellingup thecountryhasreinvigoratedconversations over regional inequalities and subsequently concern over the coastal edges The levels of coastal inequalities highlight the need to look within regions and not just across, as these are often hidden as areas of wealth and poverty lie side by side. Thus, there is a clear need to investigate and address coastal inequalities which is highlighted, and can be harnessed, by the levelling up agenda.
1 2 STUDY AIMS AND APPROACH
The baseline study investigates the significant deprivation and inequalities within coastal towns and communities (CTCs) in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex (the Eastern Arc region). The study aims and approach will now be discussed.
STUDY AIMS
i. Identify target areas within Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex with significant levels of deprivation.
ii. Quantitatively explore and map levels of deprivation and inequalities across the target areas.
iii. Qualitatively investigate the broader challenges and benefits of coastal living.
iv. Identify major investments, assets, and opportunities for the Eastern Arc to engage with
STUDY APPROACH
A literature review qualitatively explored the challenges and benefits of coastal living Evidence was reviewed from a range of sources and subsequently organised via themes derived from the literature. Most of the literature currently available is at a national level and the evidence at a lower level is less widely available and geographically inconsistent.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionLevelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region
The quantitative analysis began by identifying the ‘target area’ across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex1 using the English indices of deprivation (2019) The statistics (Index of Multiple Deprivation) were used to access, at lower layer super output areas (LSOA) level, areas which fell within the top 20% most deprived areas2 in the country. The areas in the top 20% and connected to a coast or estuary were selected (see figure 1). To aid statistical analysis and viability of recommendations, the identified LSOAs were broadened to towns and built up areas (BUAs) However, due to limited data at this level, most analysis was performed at a district level. The target areas identified are:
• Norfolk: Kings Lynn and Great Yarmouth
• Suffolk: Ipswich, Felixstowe and Lowestoft
• Essex: Manningtree/Mistley, Harwich, Clacton on Sea, Jaywick, Southend on Sea, Canvey Island and Tilbury
• Kent: Isle of Sheppey, Dartford, Gravesend, Margate, Ramsgate, Gillingham Dover, Folkestone, and Dungeness3
• East Sussex: Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, and Camber
The areas form the focus for this report and the following quantitatively analysis and mapping4 The data was sourced from the ONS 2018 2020 life expectancies data, NOMIS Business Register and employment survey (BRES), Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) and the indices of deprivation (2019).
In the report, there are four sets of location quotient analysis mapping low pay sectors, tourist businesses, energy sector and creative and cultural sectors. Location Quotients (figures 2,3,8 and 9) demonstrate the concentration of businesses operating in a particular sector relative to the English average A score of one indicates a concentration equal to the England average. Details of the data used can be found in the appendix
An ‘area of opportunities’ map showing low carbon energy and port and maritime infrastructure was developed to highlight the significant potential in this area for the Eastern Arc region. The information was gathered from various sources and adapted in part from Wind Energy Network Magazine and 4C Offshores 2021 map
1 3 STRUCTURE OF REPORT
Over the next five chapters, the report will consider levelling up and explore the challenges, benefits, and opportunities of living on the coastal edges. Chapter two examines what levelling up is, the difficulties in measurement and definition and potential policy implications
In chapters three and four, the challenges of coastal living are investigated qualitatively and quantitatively covering issues around people (deprivation and labour markets, education and skills, and health inequalities) and places (declining industries, infrastructure, housing, and the environment).
Chapter five discusses the considerable opportunities for CTCs, many of which are connected to their geography and histories. The opportunities surround health and wellbeing, tourism, creative and cultural industries, green industries and maritime industries.
1 There are 43 districts which make up Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex.
2 Government guidelines for using the indices of deprivation suggest using between 10% to 30% to identify deprived areas
3 Limited data available for Dungeness due to its small size
4 To create statistical maps of the area, ArcPro GIS software was used.
Lastly, chapter six concludes the report by with recommendations.
Notably, whilst the report is organised thematically there are significant overlaps between issues creating cumulative impacts, and opportunities, for CTCs to contend with.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region2. WHAT IS LEVELLING UP?
This chapter critically considers the definition, measurement, and operationalisation of levelling up. The potential policy arenas and funding streams are also discussed.
2.1 LEVELLING UP
Levelling up aims to address the long standing regional inequalities in the UK, which are some of the worst in the developed world (IFS, 2020). The term levelling up is new but the focus on regional inequalities is not, with regional policies dating back to the 1930s.
The Levelling Up White Paper, published in February 2022, provided some detail of the Government’s proposals. It proposed a mission oriented approach to setting out policy, with 12 missions to be achieved by 2030. These are:
• Pay, employment and productivity will have risen in every area of the UK
• Public investment in R&D outside the Greater South East will increase by at least 40%. Note that the Greater South East is never defined, but it is assumed to mean the East and South East.
• Local public transport connectivity across the country will be significantly closer to the standards of London
• Nationwide gigabit capable broadband and 4G coverage, with 5G coverage for the majority of the population
• 90% of primary school children will achieve the expected standard
• High quality skills training will have significantly increased in every area of the UK
• Gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed
• Well being will have improved in every area of the UK
• Pride in place will have risen in every area of the UK
• Renters will have a secure path to home ownership with the number of first time buyers increasing in all areas
• Homicide, serious violence, and neighbourhood crime will have fallen, focused on the worst affected areas.
• Every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers.
In addition, the White Paper proposes a reorientation of central government decision making; greater empowerment of local government decision making; a revolution in data and transparency at the subnational level; and enhanced transparency and accountability of this new regime.
The analysis underlining the Government’s proposals was broadly welcomed, but critics suggested that the suggested actions lacked detail, and there was some concern that, as the White Paper was published after the Comprehensive Spending Review, there may be little room for manoeuvre in terms of the spend on the measures that were set out. The change of government may also impact on the implementation of the missions.
Nevertheless, the Government has already invested significantly in measures to level up areas of deprivation. These include:
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region5
o The Towns Fund is a £3.6 billion fund for English towns (encompasses the Future High Street Fund) to regenerate high streets. 101 towns were eligible to bid for up to £25 million of funding (‘town deals’) and the first round of allocation was announced in July 2021, with a significant number of selected areas in the North and Midlands. The funding focuses on urban regeneration, planning and land use, skills and enterprise infrastructure, and connectivity.
o The Community Renewal Fund is a £220 million fund for areas across the UK for 2021/2. This temporary fund bridges EU structural funds5 and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund due to start in April 2022. Funding must line up with the following priorities: skills, employment support, local business, and communities and place.
o The Skills Fund provides £2.5 billion of funding for adult skills, as part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs in response to the Covid 19 pandemic. It includes funding for skills boot camps (a free 16 week course to improve sector specific skills/employability) and free level three qualification for adults.
o Freeports are low tax and tariff business zones and eight are currently planned
o The new government owned UK infrastructure bank will deliver £22 billion of funding to UK infrastructure projects addressing regional inequalities and climate change.
o The Government aims to move over 20,000 civil servants from London and the South East by 2030. This relocation has been discussed by Governments for decades and aims to bring economic benefits across the UK and shift the London centric policy focus.
The UK would have received approximately £1.5 billion annually from the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund between 2014 2020 (See Fothergill and Gore, 2021).
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region3. THE CHALLENGES OF COASTAL LIVING FOR PEOPLE
“Their sense of isolation and ‘end of the line’ feel has left small town, seaside communities overlooked and feeling unloved by the Government, local councils, service providers and businesses alike” (House of Lords, 2019).
Living on the coastal edges of the country brings unique challenges, with intersecting economic and social inequalities shaped by the geography and history of the areas. This section explores several challenges faced by people living on the coastal edges including deprivation and labour markets, education and skills, and health inequalities
3.1 DEPRIVATION AND LABOUR MARKETS
Coastal towns are some of the most deprived areas in the country and many of these places are in the East and South East of England. On average, in England and Wales coastal towns are more deprived and had slower population and employment growth between 2009 2018. Seaside towns also have higher than average levels of part time work and self employment as well as lower levels of employment and higher education qualifications (ONS, 2020). Quantitative analysis found high levels of low pay, unemployment and health problems and lower levels of education within coastal communities (Corfe, 2017).
The Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) measures income, employment, education, health, crime, barriers to housing and services, and living environment. Therefore, it provides a detailed statistical insight into the levels of deprivation across the country and acknowledges deprivation is not simply about poverty.
Analysis of the IMD (2019) shows clusters of deprivation along the coastal edges of the Eastern Arc area including the most deprived area in the country, Jaywick in Essex. The coastal districts highlighted in Figure 1 are all in the top 20% of the most deprived areas in England6
6 The limited number of non coastal areas are not highlighted on the map as the focus of this report is coastal deprivation.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region Key Message: CTCs have significant levels of deprivation, with the coastal towns featured in this report being some of the most deprived in the country. The statistical mapping shows high levels of low pay and working age unemployment along the coast of the Eastern Arc area.On average workers in CTCs are paid £5000 less than non coastal workers and Thanet and Hastings are in the bottom 20 local authorities for average pay (SMF, 2019). The coastal towns across the South East have the lowest average pay in the region, with the highest paid areas being in western Essex and Kent (close

proximity to London). East Anglia also has lower than average weekly pay and this is reduced further when workers outside the area are considered (Newanglia, 2017).
The weekly pay for full time workers in the Eastern Arc region has been analysed and mapped below. Figure 2 shows the variation of weekly pay, with the lowest figure from Hastings (East Sussex coastal) at £563 compared to the highest at £814.20 in Dartford (Kent inland). The average weekly pay in England for full time workers is £738.20 and 95% of areas analysed fall below this figure. The rate of pay in Dartford is interesting as it also has areas in thetop 20% of deprivedareas in thecountry, which would suggest significant variations within the area.
The data shows weekly low pay clustered in coastal areas, particularly within Kent and East Sussex. In Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk the levels of weekly pay are more mixed, yet still show high levels of low pay. Notably, the data demonstrates the impact of London as this can be seen in the collection of higher paid districts surrounding it.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region
Figure 3 Low Pay Sector Location Quotient using ONS BRES Survey data (2021).

Figure 3 displays the levels of low pay sector employment across the Eastern Arc region, with 77% of districts being equal to or higher than the England average. There are significant coastal clusters oflow pay in Norfolk, Essex, Kent, and East Sussex with those in the east experiencing the highest. Notably, these areas are in direct contrast to their neighbours which have below average levels of low pay.
There are considerable variations within the regions. For example West Suffolk recorded the highest low pay figure (1.4) across all five districts which can be compared against the lowest in Mid Suffolk (0.85). Yet, in Essex and Kent, the variations are less, with low pay sector employment appearing extensively across the region. In Essex 92% of districts and in Kent 69% of districts rated low pay employment equal to or higher than the England average.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionThe claimant count highlights the level of economically inactive unemployed in the working age population and the map shows these are highest along the coast. The average for England was 5.1% and over a third of districts in the Eastern Arc region are higher than this figure. Several of the higher areas are clustered along the Kent and East Sussex coast, compared to Norfolk and Suffolk which has a more sporadic pattern. The highest recording was in Thanet at 9.4% (Kent coastal) compared to the lowest in Broadland (Norfolk inland) at 2.7%.
There are variations of claimant levels within regions, for example in Norfolk Great Yarmouth has a figure of 7.8% compared to its neighbouring Broadlands with a claimant count of 2.7%, which is nearly three times lower. Nearly half of Kent districts have above average claimant counts and all of these are along the coast. The spread is slightly less across the other regions: 38% for Essex, 40% for East Sussex, 20% for Suffolk and 28% for Norfolk. Across all regions, there were sixteen districts scoring above average claimant count and over 80% of these places were coastal.

Unemployment levels within CTCs might be higher than those suggested from unemployment statistics, as quantitative research (Beatty, Fothergill and Gore, 2017) shows there are significant levels of hidden unemployment Hidden unemployment relates to individuals “…who might have been expected to be in work in a genuinely fully employed economy” and subsequently includes a wider group for example people receiving incapacity related benefits. The research found high levels of hidden unemployment clustered in British older industrial areas and coastal towns including Great Yarmouth, Clacton on Sea, Maidstone, and Hastings The data is from 2016 and so does not include any impacts from the Covid 19 pandemic. CTCs have been disproportionately impacted economically by the Covid 19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions which has reinforced existing inequalities:
“Many seaside resorts had a large concentration of businesses and employees in sectors that were closed during the lockdown a problem exacerbated by the seasonality of their local economy and the low local purchasing power. Social Investment Business (SIB) analysis of local transaction and unemployment data has found coastal areas to be disproportionately impacted by Covid 19” (Thomson, 2020).
3.2 EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Skills and education levels are lower in CTCs than their inland neighbours, across the education and skills system from childhood to HE and FE. Low educational attainment is linked to worse health outcomes (Chief Medical Officer, 2021) which increases the need for this issue to be addressed
“The future of seaside towns requires educational success. Sadly, their current performance, as measured in school results, is normally below the national average. Few have higher education institutions within their communities, and most suffer from a vicious circle that drives down aspiration” (House of Lords, 2019).
Lower educational attainment is connected to lower aspirations shaped by families and community expectations, the difficulties in accessing HE and FE from the coast due to poor infrastructure, and the lack of employment opportunities in CTCs. The problems of infrastructure also extend to younger children who often spend more time traveling to school than their non coastal counterparts. The Coastal Communities Alliance note a number of reasons for the lower educational attainment in CTCs: “a transient workforce with a high percent turnover of pupils; lack of access to further education; lack of employment opportunities and investment in skills development and lack of adaptation to peak and low season patterns of employment”.
Additionally, CTCs struggle to recruit and retain teaching staff which negatively impacts the educational attainment within communities. This challenge is linked to the remoteness of coastal communities, poor infrastructure, lower wages and less opportunities for career progression. The national focus on improving education in urban areas has also negatively impacted coastal providers who have not received sufficiently attention and suffer from poor investment.
Notably, young people who do access HE and FE often leave the coast to do so and are unlikely to return dueto poor employment opportunities, thereforecementing theskills and education inequalities within CTCs.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region Key Message: There are lower skills and education levels in CTCs across the education system. Lower educational attainment reduces aspirations and opportunities for CTCs The lower levels are linked to poor infrastructure and challenges with recruiting and retaining teaching staff. Additionally, those young people who do enter Further Education (FE) or Higher Education (HE) are unlikely to return to their CTCs due to the lack of employment opportunities.Clearly, the issues surrounding skills and education levels in CTCs are complex and link to wider challenges surrounding labour markets and infrastructure. The lower education levels are linked to the coastal labour markets (seasonal, low paid and low skilled) and create a skills gap in CTCs as reported by the House of Lords (2019). Consequently, businesses are dissuaded from entering and investing on the coast and so the cycle continues.
In the South East of England coastal communities have the lowest skills and education in the region (see SELEP report). In East Anglia, a more complex situation appears as whilst predominately CTCs have low qualification levels, some areas like those in the north ofIpswich and areas nearer London had above average levels (Newanglia, 2017). However, it is likely the workers in these areas are commuting to London or other cities and may not be utilising their skills in the local economy.
3.3 HEALTH INEQUALITIES
“Coastal areas face a range of challenges around the health and wellbeing of their populations. There are a common set of health challenges that are prevalent in these areas, including high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, poor mental health, and additional pressures on local services from both an ageing population, and from the high levels of population transience” (House of Lords, 2019).
Coastal populations are older than their non coastal counterparts as people retire to the seaside and this trend is expected to increase further over the next two decades. For example, Thanet’s over 65 population is estimated to increase from 35,200 in 2019 to 45,200 by 2039 (see SELEP report). The ageing population will impact on the levels of health and social care and bring other challenges such as tackling social isolation.
The higher levels of deprivation in CTCs impact on the health and wellbeing of inhabitants, referred to by the Chief Medical Officer as ‘coastal excess’. The health issues within these communities are often related to the ageing population or lifestyle factors which impact on public service requirements (Depledge et al, 2017). Life expectancy for men and women in the UK is lower in CTCs and the health inequalities across the UK are widening (Corfe, 2019)
The life expectancy for men and women living in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex are explored statistically below. The maps (figures 5 and 6) show how, as Corfe (2019) explains:
“
Put bluntly living by the British coast is now associated with dying earlier”.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region Key Message: Health inequalities manifest in CTCs across health and wellbeing outcomes due to demographic,deprivation, and lifestylefactors. Lifeexpectancyby theBritishcoast is shorter than thoseinland and this is the case within the Eastern Arc area. Moreover, CTCs struggle to recruit and retain medical staff to deal with the extra needs of CTCs.Figure5 shows thedifferences in femalelifeexpectancy across theEastern Arc area, with lower lifeexpectancy clustered around many of the coastal edges of England. The average life expectancy for women in England is 83.1 years (ONS, 2021) and 16 of the 43 districts in the target area fell below this average. All but one of these were coastal, the most were found in Kent (6/16) and Essex (5/16)

The lowest female life expectancy is in Hastings (East Sussex coastal) at 81.8 years and the highest is in Uttlesford (Essex inland) at 85.4 years. The statistical map demonstrates the sharp disparities within female life expectancy when high and low life expectancies for women lie side by side
Looking across the regions, 80% of Suffolk and East Sussex have female life expectancies higher than the national average In all the regions, over half of the districts are higher than the national average, with Kent experiencing the lowest female life expectancy.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region Figure 5 Female Life Expectancy using ONS data from 2018 2020.Figure 6 Male Life Expectancy using ONS data from 2018 2020.
Figure 6 illustrates the variation in male life expectancy in the Eastern Arc area, with lower levels clustered particularly around the coasts of Kent and East Sussex. The average male life expectancy in England is 79.3 years (ONS, 2021) and within the Eastern Arc region the ages ranged between 78 and 83 years old The lowest male life expectancy is found in Thanet (coastal Kent) at 77.6 years compared to the highest in Uttlesford (inland Essex) at 82.6 years.
There are considerable variations in male life expectancy both around the coast and compared to further inland. For example, in Norfolk and Essex, there are lower than average life expectancies shouldered against significantly higher than average life expectancies.

Norfolk
%
than
%
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionKent 54% 54%
East Sussex 60% 80% Essex 62% 62%
Figure 7 Table of regional life expectancy (LE) by gender
In Kent, the differences in male life expectancy are lesser due to the regional lower levels of life expectancy, with nearly half of districts having a lower than average life expectancy
All five regions had at least half of their districts with higher than average male life expectancy. Yet, over a third of the districts in the Eastern Arc area are below the national average, with the majority (86%) in coastal areas. The highest proportions were in Kent and Essex, all of those in Kent were in CTCs and three out of five were coastal in Essex. All districts of Suffolk have higher than average male life expectancies
Research has shown towns on the coast have more public health related challenges than their non coastal counterparts. The research used a series of maps to demonstrate the health inequalities across England including mental health, diabetes, long standing health problems, self harm and alcohol and drug related admissions, as well as participation in higher education. The health of CTCs was the focus of the 2021 Chief Medical Officer’s report as they have some of the lowest health outcomes in the country.
“Coastal communities have been long overlooked with limited research on their health and wellbeing” (Chief Medical Officer, 2021)
Hence, there is a growing focus and need on coastal communities and the inequalities they face which has implications for the levelling up agenda.
Those living in CTCs also face a lower level of health provision due to potential under funding and challenges with staff recruitment and retainment.
“Health Education England’s analysis for this report found that despite coastal communities having an older and more deprived population, they have 14.6% fewer postgraduate medical trainees, 15% fewer consultants and 7.4% fewer nurses per patient” (Chief Medical Officer, 2021).
Thus, CTCs have an increased demand for healthcare yet their access to services is limited. The unique health needs of CTCs mean extra resource is required to provide adequate health and social care, yet current funding calculations do not consider the complexities of coastal health. The difficulties in recruiting and retaining medical professionals including GPs reinforces the challenges for coastal health services and has a knock on effect within the NHS (for example increased visits to Accident and Emergency).
4. THE CHALLENGES OF COASTAL LIVING FOR PLACES
The challenges of living on the coastal edges are deeply entrenched in the places themselves, with decades of decline scarring the economic and physical landscape of CTCs. This section will explore the coastal declining industries, infrastructure, housing, and environmental risks.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region4.1 INDUSTRIES IN DECLINE
CTCs often rely on a single legacy industry within their local economies such as tourism and fishing, consequently when these decline the economy is not diverse enough to beresilient against such shocks (New Economics Foundation, 2015)
The Turning The Tide report notes the importance of geography and topography for CTCs. The industries that once defined CTCs (maritime and domestic tourism) are a product of their geography and have been declining for decades (House of Lords, 2019) Additionally, the remoteness of CTCs to large employment centres and poor infrastructure brings further challenges to seaside communities (see section 5.2). Yet, the geography and topography of CTCs could pave the way forward via green industries like wind farms which are explored in section 6.4.
“Coastal towns and cities, which have lost their primary industries such as former seaside resorts, mining areas, fishing communities, and agricultural centres and are struggling to find alternatives, face the greatest socioeconomic challenges” (New Economics Foundation, 2015).
The tourism industry has been in decline for over fifty years which has had a significant impact on CTCs reliant on this industry. However, not all places have seen a decline. For example, Brighton has a growing tourism sector (see Beatty, Fothergill and Gore, 2014) with a creative and quirky image. Yet, Brighton has a large and innovative economy with growing digital and media industries, two universities and a large health sector which demonstrate the diverse economy which has enabled it to flourish as a coastal city. Additionally, Brighton’s location is close to London (under one hour by train) and so offers tourists a cosmopolitan coastal break close to the capital. It is argued the key to the economic success of Brighton is the education levels of its workforce, with over half of adults having a degree compared to a national average of 38% (House of Lords, 2019). Hence, whilst Brighton’s tourism sector is a success, it is only one part of the story as it is in its economic diversity, that the seeds of success were sewn.
Tourism is a dominant industry for coastal communities in the East and South East of England, yet its seasonal nature is problematic. It is generally low paid, low skilled and precarious employment and creates a transient workforce which negatively impacts individuals and communities. The Government’s Tourism Sector Deal attempted to overcome some of the challenges in the sector The deal and its bold plans have now been replaced by the Tourism Recovery Plan which details how the tourism sector will benefit from more general Government plans.
Covid 19 brought significant disruption to the tourism industry, as much of the sector was closed for at least six months since the first lock down was announced in March 2020, and some businesses never reopened. In 2019, inbound tourism to the UK created £28 billion in revenue and domestic tourism generated £19.5 billion (DCMS, 2021). Yet, most inbound tourism expenditure is spent in London (55%) and the rest is fragmented across the country.
Due to the pandemic restrictions inbound tourism stopped in March 2020. However, when restrictions began to ease in summer 2020 domestic tourism surged and this is a potential opportunity discussed in section 6.2.
Fishing, another traditional industry, has also been in long term decline which negatively impacts local economies The decline in this industry also effects local communities as often fishing plays a dominant role
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region Key Message: Many coastal communities rely on one industry to support their economy with a legacy of traditional industries such as tourism and fishing. The long term decline in these industries has significantly impacted CTCs, who struggle to recover and are left with limited employment opportunities.in the town and its sense of identity. The fishing industry struggles with productivity, innovation and issues caused by ‘over fishing’ which further hinders the industry at a time of increasing fish consumption. This means that just under a third of fish consumed in the UK is sourced outside EU waters (New Economics Foundation, 2015). Evidence from the House of Lords (2019) found the reducing fishing industry impacted the health and wellbeing of communities, with rising mental health issues in the affected groups.
4.2 INFRASTRUCTURE: TRANSPORT AND DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY
Key Message: The lack of investment and geographies of CTCs have limited their infrastructure. The poor transport infrastructure and digital connectivity limit opportunities for locals and dissuade business investment.
There is a systemic lack of investment in infrastructure for the coast, and this impacts CTCs. The barriers to travel have already been touched upon and relate to the remoteness of CTCs and the need to improve transport infrastructure around and within these communities (House of Lords, 2019). Many coastal communities had trainlines reduced in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts, which closed 5000 miles of railway across the country.
The poor infrastructure limits residents ability to take opportunities (employment and education) as they encounter longer journey times than their non coastal counterparts (Corfe, 2019). Additionally, it prevents business investment and reduces visitor numbers (tourism). The South East has varying levels of transport infrastructure which is skewed towards economic hubs like London and Brighton. Similarly in the East of England, transport infrastructure is varied and travel links to Cambridge and London dominate.
The Government aims to increase green travel (walking, cycling and greener public transport) which could see much needed investment along the coast. For example, £500 million is being invested to reverse some of the Beeching cuts of the 1960s.
Digital infrastructure (connectivity) is also lacking in coastal areas, which limits access to services and reduces the attractiveness for investment. The Covid 19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns highlighted the need for good connectivity; according to Openreach broadband usage more than doubled in 2020. Arguably, the improving connectivity within CTCs could overcome some of the geographical challenges of living on the edgeof thecountry. It would support existing businessesand encouragenewones as wellas allowing workers who can work from home to do so.
A lack of connectivity also reduces the digital skill levels of communities, which will be essential for the future labour market. The tourism, hospitality and fishing industries are already reporting a digital skills gap and the Government’s digital skills bootcamps highlight the importance of this deficit. Older groups have lower digital skill levels and consequently will be restricted in the services they can access; this is a growing concern for coastal communities with their ageing population (House of Lords, 2019; Local Government Association, 2021).
4.3 HOUSING
Key Message:Victorian and Edwardian coastal development has left uniquearchitectureandhousing in CTCs. Today, however, the housing stock is of poor quality and many of the large houses have been redeveloped into Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs). The sizable number of HMOs create a range of problems for CTCs which impact on individuals, communities, and services.
The Victorian and Edwardian development of the coast created a distinctive built environment, from grand piers to large houses. After decades of decline and a lack of investment, this architecture has created
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionchallenges surrounding poor quality housing stock and run down public spaces. HMOs are a particular issue as the large Victorian properties which were previously hotels and B&Bs are converted for private rental. HMOs are often of poor quality and poorly managed by landlords, and associated with anti social behaviour. Data from Blackpool suggests that living in HMOs links to a lower life expectancy for males (Chief Medical Officer, 2021).
For seaside towns, HMOs present two issues recognised by the House of Lords (2019) for the people living in the properties and the properties themselves. The transiency of HMO tenants has negative implications for communities. Many are also vulnerable, with physical and mental health needs, and require extra support, which places additional pressureon local services. In some cases, vulnerableadultsand children arerelocated to the coast from other local authorities due to the cost of housing. This has an effect on the resources within CTCs and likely causing negative impacts on the people themselves
“The proliferation of sub standard housing and poorly managed HMOs in seaside towns underpins many of the social and economic problems that struggling coastal areas suffer” (House of Lords, 2019).
Second, the poor quality of HMOs is seen as a barrier to regeneration in some coastal areas as it reduces the desirability of the area. The demand for HMOs (due to their lower rents) means private landlords are incentivised to make as many flats and rooms as possible in properties with less regard for quality. Notably, many tenants are in recipient of Housing Benefit (or Universal Credit) and seek the lowest possible rent; thus Housing Benefit becomes a driver for the local housing market. This is problematic as it increases the commercial value of HMOs (inflates rental yields) and distorts the local housing market (discourages investment.
Government statistics (BEIS, 2021) show people living on a low income in privately rented, older converted flats are more likely to be in fuel poverty. An important issue given the current rising costs of energy bills and one which affects the health of CTCs. In the South East, CTCs have the highest numbers of people living in fuel poverty across the region (SELEP, 2019). The cost of fuel poverty extends to wider institutions such as the NHS with an estimated cost of up to a billion a year (New Economics Foundation, 2016). Fuel poverty links to green issues around the energy efficiency of buildings which is discussed in section 6.4 and is a pressure point between housing, the environment (and its challenges), and deprivation.
4.4
ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS
There are environmental challenges from living on thecoast such as flooding, sea levels rising, coastal erosion and extreme weather (such as storms). Such risks must be managed by authorities to prevent damage to communities and their economies. Importantly, as sea levels rise from climate change this risk will be greater. The BlueNewDealhighlights many of theenvironmentalchallenges faced by CTCs andargues for sustainable and innovative coastal economies centred on the sea.
Other issues, such as poor quality infrastructure and housing, can compound the environmental challenges CTCs face as the properties are less energy efficient (increasing risk of fuel poverty). Additionally, high levels of deprivation further hinder attempts to address the challenges and can make the impacts more acute (See for example JRF, 2011).
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionKey Message: The coastal geography brings environmental challenges, linked to climate change, which incur extra costs and risks for CTCs.
“Coastal buildings are more likely to be exposed to severe wind driven rain, and as a result material and fabric damage to buildings in coastal areas can often be higher and more costly” (New Economics Foundation, 2016).
Therefore CTCs could experience a perfect storm of poor quality housing, extreme weather, high levels of deprivation and more costly interventions resulting in an increased risk to the health of communities.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region5. THE BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COASTAL LIVING
This section considers the benefits and opportunities for CTCs covering health and wellbeing, ‘staycations’, green industries, creative and cultural industries, and maritime industries. Whilst the benefits and opportunities have been discussed thematically, there are many overlaps between sectors and opportunities for cross cutting collaborations.
Notably, improvements and opportunities across the themes can improve the health and wellbeing of CTCs and importantly promote the utilization and development of existing resources in these areas.
5.1 HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Key Message: There are historical benefits for health and wellbeing for CTCs as the coast has long been associated with convalescence. The coastal landscapes lend themselves to activities which boost physical and mental health. For this reason, nature based social prescribing offers opportunities for CTCs to improve their health and wellbeing using the natural assets of their hometowns.
“Once socio economic and demographic characteristics are taken into account however, analysis of census data has shown that those living closer to the coast report better health on average than their inland counterparts” (Chief Medical Officer, 2021).
Whilsttherearemany health challenges for CTCs, as outlined in theprevious section, therearehealth benefits to coastal living. Historically, the seaside has been linked to improved health and wellbeing; for example people would be sent to convalesce on the coast in the 18th and 19th century. The natural environments along the coast can boost physical health and mental wellbeing in three main ways:
• Mitigation of environmental stressors.
• Building of personal capacity.
• Alleviation of psycho physiological stress or ‘restoration’.
The three outcomes highlight the relationship between physical and mental health and our environment (see Chief Medical Officer report for details)
“Healthy coastal and marine environments can bean ally in the fight against physical inactivity…” (New Economics Foundation, 2015).
Nature based social prescribing utilises this connection (also referred to as green social prescribing). Social prescribing allows health professionals to refer individuals with health needs to a service who works with the individual to improve their health in the community. It is defined by the National Academy for Social Prescribing as:
“Supporting people, via social prescribing link workers, to make community connections and discover new opportunities, building on individual strengths and preferences, to improve health and wellbeing”.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionThis could include engaging with creative activities, for example the Arts on Prescription service in Hastings provides creative workshops to improve mental health, resilience and confidence.
Nature based social prescribing connects people to ‘green’ pursuits like a walking group or fishing. The NHS is currently piloting nature based social prescribing across the country in a two year £5.7 million fund (see here for details). Activities can also include community farms, which provide a space for communities to grow and garden together with a raft of benefits; Social Farms and Gardens is a UK based charity supporting such initiatives. There are numerous benefits including for mental health and wellbeing, physical health, environmental, community and educational (FCFCG, 2016). Groundwork runs in locations across the country, including theEastof England,and aims to empower communities and address issues around theenvironment and poverty. It provides a range of examples of nature based social prescribing activities which bring health and social benefits.
5.2 ‘STAYCATIONS’: TOURISM POST COVID 19
7
Despite being one of the industries most impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic, tourism may benefit from a change in consumer behaviour and the growth in ‘staycations’. Google search figures for ‘staycations’ in the UK surged in 2020 and a similar uplift was seen in the summer of 2021. Research7 based upon average monthly internet destination searches shows:
• Five out of the ten favourite UK ‘staycation’ destinations were coastal.
• Six out of the ten favourite UK rural ‘staycation’ destinations were coastal.
• Five out of the ten favourite town and city ‘staycation’ destinations were coastal.
The main overnight destination for trips in the summer of 2021 were traditional coastal or seaside towns (25%), this figure is higher if combined with rural coastline destinations (16%) bringing a total coastal figure to 41% (Local Government Association, 2021).
A Barclays report showed the trend for ‘staycations’ had begun prior to the Covid 19 pandemic and was predominately driven by people under 35 with those aged 25 34 accounted for over half. The survey found nine out of ten respondents from this age group chose to holiday in the UK for ‘escapism’, with seven out of ten wanting a ‘digital detox’. The biggest drive for people aged 18 24 taking a ‘staycation’ was ‘stimulation’. The most popular destinations for under 35s were city breaks and countryside (both 39%) with the beach next (26%). Notably, the younger cohort predominately use digital ways to book and plan their holidays, demonstrating the importance of the tourism industry adapting to this demand, including its infrastructure, marketing, and skills.
The growth in ‘screen tourism’ offers another reason for the increase in ‘staycations’. Screen tourism refers to holidays to areas which feature in films and television For example, the BBC series Poldark, which was filmed along theCornish coast, has increased tourism inthe area. CreativeEngland report that in 2014, screen
Only Brighton and Norfolk are included from the broad study areas (Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex). Although Brighton itself is not a target area.
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region Key Message: The Covid 19 pandemic brought significant challenges to the tourism industry, yet it also offered opportunities once restrictions began to be lifted which are exemplified by the rise in ‘staycations’. The growth, which had begun pre pandemic, is linked to a range of factors such as recognition of environmental, creative, and natural assets, as well as the cost of international travel. The statistics demonstrate that the tourism sector is still a significant industry for many CTCs in the East and South East England.tourists brought between £100 to £140 million into the economy. In Kent, several screen locations are as visitor attractions on the Visit Kent website.
Thus, the rise in ‘staycations’ may offer opportunities for seaside towns and support their tourism industries. The increase may not be purely due to the impacts of the Covid 19 pandemic, as there has also been a growing concern over climate change and a public desire for greener lifestyles. There has been a growth in nature and green tourism, in which people want to experience nature (seeing wildlife/habitats) during their holiday. People also increasingly consider how they travel and the environmental impacts of this. Consequently, holidaying in the UK is an increasingly popular option.
There are also financial impacts and with the rising cost of living people may choose a ‘staycation’ instead of holiday abroad. The Barclays report found the average overseas holiday spend was £2,440 compared to £904 when holidaying in the UK.
Whilst ‘staycations’ present an opportunity for CTCs, it is one which can only be fully realised if the travel infrastructure can match demand and people’s expectations, and digital provision keep step with visitors’ requirements
In the Eastern Arc region, tourism is still a dominant industry in many areas as Figure 8 demonstrates. It illustrates the high levels of the tourism sector along the coast and the signicantly lower levels as we look inland. Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, has the highest rating (1.95) with nearly twice the England average. The lowest was found inland, in Harlow (Essex) with a score of 0.62.
There are variations in tourist sector employment within the Eastern Arc region, with East Sussex having the highest amount, where all five districts score higher than the England average. Interestingly, Hastings has the lowest figure of all East Sussex districts. Looking across the Eastern Arc region, 62% of Essex districts, 60% of Suffolk districts, 57% of Norfolk districts and 46% of Kent districts have higher than average tourist sector employment
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region
5.3 CREATIVE AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES
As already touched upon, CTCs have a significant history of creative and cultural endeavours, which can provide a resource to regeneration and revitalisation. For example, as described earlier the growth of ‘screen tourism’ combines the natural (geographical/topographic) coastal assets with creative and cultural industries for the benefit of tourism. The concentration of creative sector employment has been mapped below
The largest concentration of creative employment was in Lewes with a score of 2.24, over double the England average. Its neighbouring boroughs had significantly lower figures, Eastbourne rated 0.61 and Hastings 0.67, which highlights the clear disparities within sub regions.
The lowest creative sector concentration was found in Dartford with a score of 0.24 and Kent had the lowest density across the Eastern Arc region, with a figure of 0.75, which is below the England average. There is an

Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region
above average clustering in the Kent districts of Dover, Folkestone and Hythe, and Canterbury Norfolk had the highest creative sector concentration (1.08) although there was significant variation within the region with scores above and below the England average. For example, South Norfolk scored 0.55 compared to North Norfolk which scored 2.03.
The importance of creative industries and cultural assets was recognised in the House of Lords report into seaside regeneration. Creative industries can boost local regeneration and stimulate local economies; for example the establishment of the Turner Contemporary in Margate. There were broader local impacts within Thanet which were supported by ‘Margate Arts, Creativity and Heritage’, a long term publicly funded and led programme. Subsequently, Thanet District Council noted that between 2013 2016 there was an 84% increase in creative businesses. It is estimated that over 20% of visitors to the Turner Contemporary are locals and the gallery is involved with outreach work in schools.
Similarly, the arts charity Creative Folkestone has driven creative projects which have boosted and supported the creative industries within the town. The projects include the Creative Quarter, Quarterhouse, Folkestone Artworks, Book Festival, and Folkestone Triennial.
As well as boosting and diversifying the local economy, the charity runs programmes to support young people, for example through its ‘work in progress’ initiative which works closely with East Kent schools and education providers to provide young people with work experience in creative industries, including local artists.
“Redundant historic buildings have been repurposed to draw in tourists interested in history, culture, the arts and fine dining” (Turning the Tide, 2020).
Thus, the creative led regeneration in Folkestone has extended its reach to the physical infrastructure of the town and the benefits are extended to the town’s tourist industry as its creative reputation has grown.
Whilst the development of creative industries produce clear benefits for the town, it is important that growth is combined with support from local communities and that these communities also benefit (House of Lords, 2019) The work of Creative Folkestone is one example of how this can be achieved. If local people are excluded from the projects and subsequent benefits, communities may be further displaced and isolated.
Notably, benefits are wide ranging from financial, social, health and wellbeing, to employability and skills development.
Margate, Folkestone, and other coastal towns across the UK have been supported by grants from the Arts Council England and/or the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), both of which are financed by the National Lottery. In concluding their inquiry, the House of Lords recommended:
“We consider that the restoration and enhancement of the public realm and of cultural heritage assets through capital investment is of paramount importance in supporting the wider economy in seaside towns, and recommend that the Government takes this into account as part of their ongoing review of local authority resources” (House of Lords, 2019).
Heritage Action Zones are funded by Historic England to accelerate the development of high streets by regenerating empty or underused buildings into homes, shops, work and communities as: ‘Working with local people and partners, we are helping to breathe new life into old places that are rich in heritage and full of promise unlocking their potential and making them more attractive to residents, businesses, tourists and investors. We are doing this through joint working, grant funding and sharing our skills
There are three Heritage Action Zones within the region (one each in Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk), and six High Street Heritage Action Zones (two in Kent, three in Norfolk, and one in Suffolk). Historic England describes Heritage Action Zones.’
The aim of the 60 Heritage Action Zones is to generate economic, cultural and social growth and act as a catalyst for further development Importantly, the projects are community led to ensure the benefits are felt by the local population and to develop a sense of pride. Ensuring collaboration with communities in projects is essential to make change in the area and is key to its long term success (House of Lords, 2019).
The rise in community ownership of local assets, such as a community centres or local pubs, demonstrates the important role of communities in shaping and supporting their local area. To support this, the Community Ownership Fund was launched by theGovernment in2021. It empowerscommunities to purchasecommunity assets which are at risk and would cause a significant loss to the community landscape. Community Land Trusts (CLT) are community led groups set up to develop and manage homes and community assets and have been rapidly increasing over the last decade.
5.4 HERITAGE ASSETS
A recent report funded by Eastern Arc (Gill et al, 2022) highlighted the social and economic benefit of the heritage assets of the Eastern Arc region, particularly along its coast.
8% of the land area of the EARC region is 1km from its coast; however, it contains 17% of the region’s Scheduled Monuments, with particular concentrations of Scheduled Monuments around Dover and Folkestone, the Medway and Thames estuaries, Colchester, Felixstowe to Aldeburgh, and North Norfolk. The density and variety of sites of historic and cultural significance reflect the key role of this coastline in trade, migration, defence, and leisure.
The NLHF has awarded grants to heritage projects in the Eastern Arc region worth over £190 million between 2013 2020, and Historic England estimates that the heritage sector accounted for 140,000 jobs in the South East and East of England in 2019.
5.5 GREEN INDUSTRIES
In line with the Government’s Green Industrial Revolution, coastal communities are uniquely situated to grow green industries because of their geography and topography.
“Green economies could be a way that coastal areas use their topography to their benefit at last. The isolation from centralised city locations, which has served to keep them on the fringes of economic growth since the decline of mass domestic tourism, may be a benefit as the UK looks to invest heavily in a ‘green industrial revolution’” (Turning the Tide, 2020)
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc region Key Message: Both tourism and the cultural and creativeindustries are linked to the significant heritageassets in the Eastern Arc region, which were audited in a recent EARC report. Key Message: CTCs are uniquely situated to grow green industries such as offshore wind farms, hydrogen hubs and nuclear plants. As the UK moves to meet its Net Zero goal, green industries will rapidly develop. The statistical analysis and mapping highlight existing and planned green assets in the Eastern Arc region, helping to grow and diverse local economies.Thus, the natural resources of the coast may once again be utilised for the benefit of communities. Such developments can bring investment, jobs and skills to communities and diversify their local economy, all of which should reduce levels of deprivation. Importantly, green industries will also reduce the risks fromclimate change.
As the Turning the Tide report suggests, CTCs could use green industries such as offshore wind to revitalise their economies:
“Coastal geographies have fantastic natural resources which should beutilised. TheUK is already one of the top five investors into renewable energy sources per capita in the world, spending $100 per head on offshore and onshore wind, solar, hydro and biomass energy production”
The levels of investment in renewable energy are set to grow over the next decade. For example, the Government aims for £20 billion of private investment in offshore wind farms by 2030, which would create 60,000 jobs.
The Green Industrial Revolution includes aims to grow the low carbon hydrogen industry and deliver new and advanced nuclear power, both of which can be harnessed by CTCs. Across the UK, the Government believes the hydrogen industry will create up to 8000 jobs by 2030 and potentially a hundred thousand by 2050. It estimates over £4 billion of private investment by 2030 from the hydrogen industries. Similarly, Government investment in nuclear power could see £300 million of private investment
Green industries also include improving the energy efficiency of buildings. As previously noted, CTCs face challenges in this area, with high levels of fuel poverty and buildings which are more exposed to the weather. Data shows that improving the energy efficiency of coastal homes would save households in the South East £406 million and East of England £168 million per year. Moreover, improving energy efficiency in homes would create jobs in the South East (2380) and East of England (988) as well as increasing GVA (New Economics Foundation, 2016).
Levelling up the Edges: The social/economic context for coastal towns and communities in the Eastern Arc regionFigure 10 Energy Sectors Location Quotient using ONS BRES (2020).
Figure 10 demonstrates the high concentrations of energy sector employment along the coast in the East and South East of England. This is representative of the offshore energy assets mapped in figure 11. Notably, East Suffolk recorded a quotient over five times higher than the average in England and significantly higher than other areas in the Eastern Arc area. The Sizewell nuclear plant and multiple offshore windfarms surrounding the Suffolk coast will have contributed to this high rating.
There areconsiderable differences in energy sector levels across the Eastern Arc region For example, Ipswich has a high rating of 2.59 compared to Eastbourne (0.03) which featured the lowest levels of energy sector employment.
Figure 11 illustrates the range of current and planned low carbon energy assets within the Eastern Arc area, as well as port infrastructure. The largest developments of windfarms are clustered in East Anglia, and it is also home to the Sizewell Nuclear Plant. East Anglia has attracted key players in the field such as the UK’s Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult Further along the coast, Bradwell B is a planned nuclear plant which would create low carbon energy for 4 million homes as well as creating jobs and skills opportunities for the area.

Figure 11 also details the large number of ports within the region. There are thirteen commercial ports, six passenger ports and five container ports, many of which are being developed into Freeports. The opportunities offered by these is examined in section 5.6
