Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

What do we need to change?
The spatial response
Coastal renaissance
EastPort, Great Yarmouth
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Coastal renaissance
An environmentally rich, scenic and
economically diverse landscape
The coast of the East of England is among the most environmentally rich,
scenic and economically diverse landscapes in the country. This covers
areas of outstanding natural diversity, major tourism spots as well as some
of the UK’s busiest ports. It is one of the region’s most valuable assets.
The coast is also home to some of the East of England’s most deprived
and economically under-performing communities. Our coastal
communities and economies face changes and pressures that, although
different in character, are as challenging and far reaching as those facing
communities directly affected by growth. In addition, coastal and
estuarine environments cannot be taken for granted as fixed regional
assets, and there is a pressing need to address some significant
challenges associated with climate change.
The region’s coastal towns are under-performing against a range of
economic performance indicators. They are failing to act as strong
employment magnets or to exert a significant influence on their wider
hinterlands. The towns of Clacton-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and
Southend-on-Sea all share these challenges. Importantly, however, whilst
Clacton and Southend receive growth point funding, the Great Yarmouth
and Lowestoft urban areas do not, and are therefore identified as the
principal regeneration priority area for the region. The settlements of
Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft share a number of challenges. Economic
restructuring has left a legacy of low employment, low population growth
and low-skilled jobs. 1st East, the urban regeneration company (URC) for
Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft was formed in 2005 and the regional
economic strategy supports the aspirations of this body to address the
high levels of unemployment and social deprivation through the
regeneration of large areas of physical dereliction, creating new
employment and social opportunities in the two towns.
Regeneration to improve the social and economic well-being of our
coastal towns is essential, but it is important to avoid inappropriate
development within areas which are at potential risk from flooding or
erosion. The government’s strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk
management, Making Space for Water, has a central theme for the coast
of learning to work with, and adapt to, the natural processes which affect
our shoreline. The planning system has a key role to play here by ensuring
that current and future risks are taken into account in development and
growth plans for the coastal zone. Such plans must be prepared with the
full range of sustainable development objectives in mind. However, this
has to be viewed in the context of the ability of the government via its
agencies to fund mitigation and defence.