Glossary
Improving beach access
Ground investigation, including cliff monitoring and hazard assessment
Nature-based solutions (i.e., natural flood management)
‘Rolling back’ assets (i.e., moving buildings or carparks) most likely to be affected by coastal erosion
Developing adaptation plans
Citizen science
Surface and groundwater management
Trialling innovative solutions
Strategic: is it needed?
Technical: is it achievable?
Economic: is it value for money?
Financial: is it affordable?
Environmental: what is the impact on the environment?
Glossary
What is Future Coast Dorset?
Dorset Council have received funding from the Environment Agency’s Coastal Transition Accelerator Fund (CTAP) to give support to communities to respond to a changing coast by way of adaptation. The coastal communities of North Swanage and Charmouth face challenges that will require them to adapt to a changing coastal landscape in the future. CTAP projects have been identified for both these areas (Future Coast North Swanage and Future Coast Charmouth). The project, at national level, is branded as Future Coast Dorset, and funding is available until March 2027. For its duration it will deliver on a range of options to help Swanage and Charmouth communities cope with coastal changes.
The Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme supports the Environment Agency’s FCERM Strategy(External link), which provides a longer-term vision of how we will better protect and prepare homes and businesses from flooding and coastal change and create climate resilient places.
How will Future Coast Dorset benefit local communities?
Charmouth and North Swanage have been selected for funding through the Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme (CTAP), supported by DEFRA and funded by the Environment Agency. Coastal change is a nationwide challenge, but Charmouth and North Swanage are uniquely positioned to get a head start. Future Coast Dorset will help these communities manage their changing coasts and become more resilient. With £3 million in funding, the project will enhance infrastructure, improve beach access, develop and improve awareness of coastal risk and create plans for the future. This initiative is a significant step towards a resilient and thriving coastline for future generations
Where has the money for Future Coast Dorset come from?
As part of the Government’s £200 million flood and coast innovation programme, £36 million will be invested to explore innovative approaches of adapting to the effects of coastal erosion. Future Coast North Swanage and Future Coast Charmouth will share £3 million of this investment.
Why do we need Future Coast Dorset?
Dorset Council and our local communities have been looking for better support for coastal transition and adaptation. The communities in both Charmouth and North Swanage will need to adapt to the changing coast and associated Shoreline Management Plan policy, which will transition away from a ‘hold the line’ policy to ‘managed realignment’. This means these areas will need to adapt as the shoreline naturally changes and cliffs erode landwards, leaving some assets and infrastructure at risk of erosion.
CTAP funding will not only allow us to deliver actions on the ground to improve community resilience - it will also allow us to build on our existing knowledge and experience to prepare for the inevitable impacts of coastal change. This will help justify future support for local government, communities, businesses and individuals.
What will Future Coast Dorset do?
CTAP will work with residents and businesses to prepare and plan for the long term. Actions will be taken forward to improve community resilience. These actions may include:
The outputs and learning from this project will support a managed transition of existing development. This means allowing new adaptable development in appropriate areas and restricting unsustainable development in areas at risk of coastal erosion. As Future Coast Dorset develops with communities, details of specific activities will become available.
What can't Future Coast Dorset do?
CTAP cannot build traditional coastal risk management structures to prevent erosion (i.e., sea defences). It also cannot fund standard local authority activities such as emergency planning.
Can we build coastal defences, such as sea walls, instead?
New coastal risk management schemes, including physical structures like walls or rock armour, require in-depth evidence and justification showing that the scheme will be beneficial, realistic and will not have negative impacts. When funded entirely or partially by the central government, there are mandatory tests to select the most suitable coastal risk management approach.
These assessments can be categorised into several groups:
These assessments need to look at the immediate investment, such as construction, as well as the whole-life impacts of the scheme. Erosion is an important natural process that provides us with beaches and flood and erosion protection elsewhere through natural sediment movement. Stopping erosion everywhere is environmentally unrealistic, as valuable sediment would no longer enter the coastal system.
In most cases, coastal risk management structures are difficult to design and build, can have negative environmental impacts on local areas and communities, and will need large amounts of local funding. It is unrealistic and unsustainable to continue to protect parts of the Dorset coast. CTAP is important because we will look to deliver other actions to help those at risk.
Does Future Coast Dorset consider the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP)?
Future Coast Dorset will look to develop better connections between the Shoreline Management Plan, Local Plan and other local strategies. Many coastal change issues are linked to wider challenges and opportunities. By connecting strategies and plans, better outcomes are likely to be achieved. Future Coast Dorset cannot make changes to existing Shoreline Management Plan policies.
Need more information on Shoreline Management Plans? Visit our dedicated SMP page.
Will communities have a say in what action is taken in their local area?
Future Coast Dorset will be looking to work collaboratively with local communities to co-create transition plans and practical actions. We must work together to create a sustainable way forward for the future.
Communities are encouraged to have their say through surveys, events and workshops. Register to get involved and to stay up to date on future events.
How will Future Coast Dorset address the loss of coastal assets (i.e. beach access and sea defences)?
The project will explore adaptation and transition measures to replace, improve or relocate important community assets. The project will not fund the replacement, maintenance or repair of sea defences.
Will Future Coast Dorset need support from consultants?
Future Coast Dorset is a complex project that will face several technical challenges. We will require support from consultants, as we rely on their expertise. However, we recognise that communities want to see tangible benefits and do not want the CTAP grant to primarily fund research. Therefore, project funding will focus on providing community benefits identified at the pre-OBC phase (2024) and through further engagement in Phase 1 (2025), prioritising the delivery of practical actions.
How is Future Coast Dorset different to the Pathfinder project?
Pathfinder was a research and engagement project, which unlike the Coastal Transition Accelerator Fund (CTAP), did not have funding to deliver practical adaptation and transition actions.
What will project success look like?
The Future Coast Dorset project is funded by the Environment Agency’s Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme, which is part of the national £200 million innovation fund (Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme). With this funding, projects will demonstrate how practical ‘innovative’ actions can improve resilience to flooding and coastal erosion.
For the Future Coast Dorset project to be a success, the trialling and demonstration of ‘innovative’ actions, including practical actions to improve community resilience (all tangible and intangible outputs of the project) will need to be consolidated into learning that can be shared and applied elsewhere. This learning will be shared at a local and national government level and will inform the embedding of adaptation work in the coastal risk management sector. This work may also justify a case for future funding or financing opportunities to support those communities most at risk.
What happens after the project concludes?
The aim is to achieve 3 main outcomes at the conclusion of Future Coast Dorset in 2027.
1.) More prepared and resilient communities.
Communities in Charmouth and North Swanage feel like they have a more sustainable future, they know how to find support, allowing them to move away from risk if necessary.
2.) Supported, resourced and prepared local governance.
Dorset Council has enough resources and capability to assess, find funding, manage and deliver effective adaptation and transition options to its communities.
3.) Informed national and local policy, strategies, plans and processes for coastal management.
Using our practical experiences, evidence, analysis and evaluation process to make future sustainable coastal transition policies and strategies both locally and nationally.
Where can I find further information?
For more information on Future Coast Charmouth please contact the Project Officer matthew.smith@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or for more general enquiries email: futurecoast-dorset@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.