Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help encourage private investment in coastal communities not covered by its policy on freeports.

My department is committed to supporting coastal communities flourish, strengthening their appeal as places to live, work and visit.

From 2012 – 2022, my department delivered over £187 million throughout the UK through the Coastal Communities Fund. The Evaluation has recently been published, which showed the positive effects on the economy including stimulating job growth and prosperity. Since then, we have been busy to ensure coastal communities remain at the heart of our levelling up funds.

Of 101 towns, there are 22 coastal towns that are recipients of Towns Deals worth up to £25 million and coastal areas will benefit from over £673 million of investment (inclusive of successful Future High Streets Fund bids). In addition to this, the Levelling Up Fund offers investment opportunities for coastal communities to promote regeneration and build vital infrastructure. Both of these place-based interventions should boost private sector investment through the regeneration of high streets and town centres.