The winning local authorities from the South West are South Hams District
Council , Dorset and East Devon and Somerset County Council.
Nationally, each winning authority came up with their own
“pathfinder” scheme to work with communities and find ways of
dealing with a changing coastline. Projects range from creating new
sand dunes and building boardwalks to, where properties are at risk,
developing of ‘buy to let’ schemes and the purchase of land to
rebuild properties at risk.
Erosion already affects 30% of the English coastline and other areas are at
risk of flooding – risks that can only be exacerbated by the threat
of climate change.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, said:
“Our coastline has always been shaped by the sea and as climate
change takes hold the risk of coastal change will only increase. That is
why we need to help our coastal communities to adapt to this change. No one
can know or understand what these communities need better than the
communities themselves and with this funding they will be able to work
together, to better prepare their people and businesses by adapting to
local change.”
In June 2009 local authorities living with the threat of coastal change
were invited to enter the Coastal Change Pathfinder competition and come up
with their own schemes to deal with the problems it caused in their area.
The grants will be used by local authorities to explore and test their own
ideas of adaptation thus making each community more resilient and ready to
face changes.
Jim Knight, Regional Minister for the South West, said: "I am delighted
that three South West coastal partnerships have been chosen to be part of
Defra's pilot scheme to work with their coastal communities.
“With the possible effects of coastal change in the South West in the
coming years, it is important that we start to build our experience of
working with our communities who may be affected. Through the inclusion of
Somerset, Slapton and Dorset and East Devon in this pilot, we will help to
create a bank of knowledge and experience which can be shared by all our
coastal local authorities and partnerships in the South West"
