Coastal communities face decline in young residents

Analysis by BBC News has found that four in 10 coastal communities in England could see a decline in the number of residents aged under 30 by the year 2039.

Despite the government investing more than £200 million in coastal communities, the analysis of  population projections has found seaside towns in northern England could see the biggest decline in under-30s, with seaside towns facing ‘being left behind’ by ongoing cuts.

According to figures produced by the Office for National Statistics, the North Yorkshire town of Scarborough could see a seven per cent fall in the number of people under 30 living in the area by 2039, meaning a potential fall of some 2,000 children and young adults over the next two decades.

And Scarborough is just one example. The population projections made by the ONS for 75 local authorities in England with a coastline reveal that 30 of them could see a fall in the number of residents under the age of 30 by the year 2039, with the biggest decline set to be seen in the north of England. In contrast, coastal authorities in the south, such as Bristol (+15 per cent), Southampton (+ seven per cent) and Canterbury (+ six per cent) could see substantial rises in the number of children and young people.