{"id":29,"date":"2023-06-26T10:26:19","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T10:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.plymouth.ac.uk\/centreforcoastalcommunitiesblog\/?p=29"},"modified":"2023-06-26T10:26:19","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T10:26:19","slug":"what-is-a-coastal-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.plymouth.ac.uk\/centreforcoastalcommunitiesblog\/2023\/06\/26\/what-is-a-coastal-community\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a coastal community?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Centre for Coastal Communities<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When you think of a coastal community what do you imagine? For some people, the first thing to come to mind is sandy beaches and busy piers with noisy arcades. For others, it will evoke images of lonely ghost towns whose hearts only beat during the summer months. Coastal communities have a definition problem and people have differing ideas of what it means to be<\/em> a coastal community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attempting to pinpoint a definition for \u2018coastal community\u2019 reveals the diversity of perspectives, and many researchers and government bodies have put forth their interpretations, ranging from stricter definitions to broader, more all-encompassing ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the British Resorts and Destinations Association has identified 37 principal seaside towns in England based on features such as specialised tourist infrastructure, holiday accommodation, and distinctive resort characteristics. This strict approach to definition has allowed research to be focused on specific challenges and provides for a more tailored approach to solutions and strategies. These stricter definitions would prefer a coastal community to be defined by its purpose, e.g. whether it was a port town or a seaside resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government takes a broader view of what defines a coastal community. To them, a coastal community as any settlement along the coastline or on an estuary, even going so far as to include inland communities that have a clear connection to the coastal economy. Arguably, this definition allows for a greater understanding of the complexities and challenges that all coastal communities share. Those with this viewpoint suggest that stricter definitions cannot gain meaningful insights into the challenges and opportunities specific to every coastal settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you think defines a coastal community? What are your experiences of living and working in coastal communities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are keen to share your views, there are 3 ways you can get involved in the South West Coastal LPIP:<\/p>\n\n\n\n