Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the economic effect of the England Coast Path on each area through which opened sections of that path pass.

Rory Stewart

Annex 4 of the impact assessment which was prepared for the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 included a summary of the estimated social and economic benefits and costs of the coastal access provisions.

The impact assessment noted that the average annual benefits to people who would make use of the improved access would be £12.35m. This figure would increase over time and from year 20 onwards was estimated at £25.8m per year. The benefits would include the improved health and wellbeing that access to the natural environment would bring. The impact assessment also noted that there would be a benefit to the coastal economy from increased spending in coastal areas where additional visitors were attracted to the area. The assessment suggested that the uplift from increased spending would be on average £6 – £9 per day visitor and £35 – £45 per overnight visitor.

A copy of the impact assessment is available on the National Archive website.

As the right of coastal access is implemented throughout England, Natural England will collect and evaluate national and local information about the social and economic benefits of new and improved access.