Solving the riddle of the sands: How to regenerate England’s struggling seaside towns

Abstract

Some seaside towns in England are among the very poorest parts of the country. How has this happened, after a century of rapid growth? And what can be done, first to stop and then to reverse the cycle of decline which has affected them, even in the context of climate change having an impact on coastal places? This paper looks at the history of seaside towns in three phases: a century of rapid growth; 50 years of dramatic decline; and the current state of fragile recovery. It examines the causes of that decline in terms of economic recession, social imbalance, physical dereliction and disconnection from the transport network. In the absence of a national strategy for seaside towns, it proposes a locally led agenda for regenerating England’s struggling seaside towns, looking first at strategic imperatives and then at a number of practical actions. It draws throughout on real-world examples.