Our Coast, Our Sea - Marine and Coastal Access Act heralds new coastal footpath

23 November 2009

With the Marine and Coastal Access Act now enacted, Natural England in the North East has welcomed the new legislation as a landmark moment in the history of access to the countryside.

The new legislation paves the way for the future creation of a new long-distance walking trail around the English coast. It presents a unique opportunity to create a permanent and secure walking route around large parts of England’s magnificent coast. Establishment of a new coastal walking trail could end the haphazard tangle of current coastal access, provide a solution to the problem of coastal footpaths being lost to erosion and bring significant new economic benefits to coastal regions.

Rob Aubrook, Natural England Director for the North East said: “The Act is a major step towards the creation of a coastal path for North East England for everyone to enjoy, and signals the first steps on what is likely to be a ten year journey to improve access around England’s wonderful coastline.”

Following Royal Assent for the Act, Natural England is launching a 12-week public consultation on the format of the ‘Scheme’ that will guide the work and the process of local implementation. Once the detailed methodology has been approved by the Secretary of State, Natural England will focus the first phase of coastal access work in Weymouth (where the first section, the ‘Olympic Way’, will open in 2012), Kent, Somerset, Norfolk, Cumbria and The East Riding of Yorkshire. Other areas – including North East England – will follow in due course, with the aim of completing the establishment of a continuous coastal trail for the whole of the English coast within 10 years of the Scheme being approved.

Rob added: “We have a truly stunning coastline in North East England and we believe that having a high quality trail along the coast where people can relax and explore will be popular with the public and provide new enjoyment and economic opportunities for local businesses and communities.”

Existing coastal trails are already boosting local economies – annual tourism-related expenditure of the South West Coast Path, is estimated at more than £220 million (Source: England Leisure Visit Survey). The Cleveland National Trail brings in about £1 million for local businesses along the route each year.

The detailed route of a future coastal trail will involve full consultation with landowners, land managers, farmers and other individuals and organisations with an interest in the project. A route would also be aligned to ensure the protection of sensitive coastal wildlife, heritage and geological interest.

Poul Christensen, Acting Chair of Natural England, said: “This country has one of the finest coastlines in the world but access to it is currently a lottery, with many sections lacking a secure, satisfactory path. The introduction of the Marine and Coastal Access Act would represent a giant step towards sorting out, once and for all, the piecemeal, stop-go nature of coastal access.

“The new Act presents a unique opportunity to create a permanent and secure walking route around large parts of England’s magnificent coast. We are going to work very closely with local access authorities in implementing the improved access on the ground – consulting widely with individuals, communities, businesses and other key local interests to help us get the coastal route in the right place and address any concerns about impacts on other land uses. This painstaking work may take years to complete, but the prize of agreeing, wherever possible, how coastal access can best be extended is a worthwhile one.”

A recent audit of coastal access by Natural England confirmed that a third of England’s coastline does not currently have a safe and secure path around it – with these sections regularly alternating with the sections where such a path does exist. The new Act would create significant opportunities to develop new coastal routes, secure routes that are currently available only on a permissive basis, and replace the 13% of existing coastal paths that are expected to be lost to sea level rise in the next 20 years.