Related coastal regeneration case studies

The two case studies below supplement those in the health, wellbeing and coastal regeneration chapter of the 'Coastal Regeneration Handbook', produced by the Coastal Communities Alliance (CCA).

The IDeA’s Healthy Communities programme supported by the handbook by commissioning a chapter which explores the specific health issues and inequalities that impact on coastal communities. This chapter forms a section of the handbook.

Coastal Communities Alliance Coastal Regeneration Handbook – Coastal Communities Alliance website.

The case studies below deal with the prominent coastal issues of flooding, the protection of vulnerable communities and the challenge of providing good quality housing in a coastal area dominated by sometimes inappropriate housing stock.

Case study 1: Caravans and campsites: protection from, and preparation for, flooding

Local authorities work closely with the emergency services and with bodies such as the Environment Agency and the Met Office to prepare emergency plans. Flooding presents an immediate threat to physical health and longer-term threats to mental health. Vulnerable groups are affected disproportionately by floods and their after-effects (32;33).

The Environment Agency has long considered camping and caravan sites as being at particular risk. Many are located next to the sea and in low-lying flood risk areas that respond rapidly to heavy rainfall. Residents in caravan parks may be older than the general population and, during the summer season, such sites can be packed with visitors unaware of the risk from flooding. Caravaners and campers are also vulnerable because current methods of providing flood warnings such as Floodline Warnings Direct are primarily tied to properties with addresses. Less permanent buildings can often be excluded from recruitment to the warning services.

During the summer of 2008, the Environment Agency South West region launched a campaign to raise flood awareness and promote action among the owners of camping and caravan sites. They produced an information pack to help site owners take action and understand flood risk. The campaign called upon site owners to take immediate action and to ring Floodline to check what flood warnings are available to them. Of the 425 packs mailed out, 315 site owners rang into the Environment Agency's Floodline Service – 74 per cent. The campaign is continuing throughout the summer of 2009 and is being extended nationwide.

The UK has recently experienced a number of flash floods (34). These floods present an extreme danger to life, property and infrastructure because the water level rises suddenly, the flow is at high velocity and carries large debris. Polperro and Boscastle, two coastal resorts in the South West, had flash floods in 1993 and 2004 respectively. No lives were lost in these events but there was considerable damage to properties and vehicles. Air rescue was used in Boscastle because of the danger to those requiring rescue and to the emergency services.

Time is of the essence when a flash flood is imminent. It is vital that people know what to do. Many flood-related deaths occur when people attempt to drive in floodwaters. Water that is 30 cm deep is sufficient to cause instability to small light or low motor vehicles (35). Tourists and other visitors are more at risk of death and injury from flash flooding. Campers and caravaners are particularly vulnerable. Flash floods are very rare and very dangerous events, and predicting, preparing for and responding to flash floods poses great challenges. Communicating this risk is potentially sensitive because local communities understandably wish to protect tourism. To aid communication the Environment Agency conducted research into understanding of, and response to, flash floods (34). Based on this evidence, the key message is: "Flash flooding can kill: know what to do".

There are three supporting messages:

• Flash flooding can occur with little or no warning
• Do not walk or drive through water
• Know where to go if you are caught in a flash flood.

Local authorities, the Environment Agency and emergency services all play vital roles in protecting public health. Preparations for flooding include good communication – people must know what to do in the event of a flood. This is especially true of a flash flood where the onset of the flood waters is rapid and presents an extreme hazard. All agencies need good information about hidden and vulnerable populations and they need to maintain a good relationship with these populations so that trust is mutual.

With thanks to Lynsey Wilcox, Flood Incident Management Officer, Environment Agency
email lynsey.wilcox@environment-agency.gov.uk and

Frazer Rhodes, Flood Response Policy Manager
email frazer.rhodes@environment-agency.gov.uk

Case study 2: Assessing hidden need: the HMO population

Central St Leonard’s in East Sussex has a population of 5,800 (2001 Census). It has an attractive environment, good housing stock on the seafront, a historical core, open spaces and low property values. However, housing quality and density are particular concerns; 80 per cent of its dwellings are houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) and 50 per cent of these do not meet fire safety standards. There is a high proportion of privately-rented accommodation – about 40 per cent, and a low proportion of social housing – two per cent, excluding sheltered housing. Twenty per cent of households do not have central heating.

In 2005 the primary care trust (PCT) commissioned a health impact assessment (HIA) of Hastings Borough Council’s strategy for renewing Central St Leonard’s. This was to ensure that the full health effects of the strategy would be identified (36). The findings were as follows.

Poor quality of the private rented sector: In Central St Leonards this means that people do not move into private rented accommodation out of choice but out of necessity. Some people have been relocated from outside Hastings and many come to Central St Leonards with a wide range of needs and low skill levels.

Transient families and individuals: In one calendar year 247 families moved out of Central St Leonards and 250 families moved in. Transient families and individuals have complex and changing needs that do not fit into traditional models of service delivery. This poses challenges for agencies and frontline staff.

Workshop participants were concerned that improving the standard of housing in the area and making the area more attractive to private investors will displace some people. While it was accepted that people need varying levels of support it was stressed that special steps are taken to meet the needs of families and individuals who are on the move.

Since 2005, the standards of housing have improved in Central St Leonards with fewer homes unfit for purpose – down from 26 per cent to 17 per cent in 2008. This has been achieved in partnership using advice, enforcement and financial assistance. There has also been a reduction in the number of empty homes in the area, down from 362 to 248, meaning more homes are available for accommodation. 

The number of people reporting experiencing crime has reduced, from 51 per cent to 23 per cent. The number of people reporting satisfaction with their home has increased, from 62 per cent to 77 per cent. The level of transience remains high and more work is required to sustain improvement, such as the recently introduced ‘first-time buyers initiative', which will help increase the level of owner-occupation in the area.

Despite this progress, there is still significant need to support people insecurely housed and homeless in Hastings and St Leonards. Seaview project is a key charity, funded by a range of sources including the primary care trust (PCT), that, despite constant pressures on funding, continues to work for people in St Leonards. Seaview supports approximately 1,000 vulnerable clients a year with a warm meal, healthcare, housing advice and support. 

In 2008, the Seaview project commissioned a health needs assessment (HNA) of the homeless and vulnerably-housed in Hastings and St Leonards (37). This has since been used to inform service delivery. The projects involved in the study provide for a diversity of needs including:

• single homeless people with medium to high support needs or with mental health problems
• people with low support needs
• single women
• pregnant young women
• young mothers
• women and children fleeing violence
• small families
• 16 to 21-year-olds.

It became apparent that respondents prioritised their health needs differently and this appeared to affect their ability to ask for and access health services.

The interviewees' most frequently-cited health problems were:

• diet and nutrition
• substance misuse
• mental health problems – depression, stress and anxiety.

Other frequently self-reported health needs or issues were:

• smoking – 100 per cent of respondents smoked
• sexual health
• dentistry.

Contacts

For more information please contact:

Ivan Rudd, ex-Head of Health Improvement
Hastings and St Leonards PCT
email: ivanrudd@talktalk.net

Pranesh Datta, St Leonards Neighbourhood Manager
Hastings Borough Council

Useful links: where to find out more

Seaview project

Flood warnings – on the Environment Agency website

Page published January 2010.