Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on the criteria used to select Charmouth as a location for the Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme.

The Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme helps communities that cannot sustainably be defended from coastal erosion aiming to support residents and businesses prepare and plan for the long term.

In September 2023, Charmouth, West Dorset, was added to the programme, taking forward measures that will improve the resilience of local heritage and tourism assets. This was informed by an objective assessment from the Environment Agency (EA) of residential and non-residential properties at risk from coastal erosion. National and local EA coastal specialists also considered the capacity, capability, and willingness within the local authority and the actions needed for Charmouth.

As a UNESCO Jurassic World Heritage Site and Site of Special Scientific Interest, Charmouth represents a good opportunity to invest in and showcase coastal change resilience measures with the aim of benefiting the community, visitors and the local economy.