The Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Nobel House

17 Smith Square

London

SW1P 3JR

Ref: ML.N0071.AW.28.10.13
Date: 28^th October 2013

Dear Owen,

I am writing to you to express my support for the completion of the UK’s coastal path, and to urge you not to allow short-term funding constraints to halt investment in a national asset which would provide significant social and economic benefits to this country.

As I am sure you are aware, the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 imposes a duty on the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure coastal access. However, although it was initially estimated that the path would be finished in ten years, the entire route is now not expected to be completed until 2032.

As well as providing people with increased access to nature and their local environment, a complete coastal path would also boost economic growth in return for a relatively small initial investment, and would help to bring tourism to coastal communities. The South West Coast Path generates £307 million a year for the local economy and supports 7,500 jobs, while every £1 invested in the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path results in £57 being spent by tourists.[1] It is currently costing the Government only £164,000 a year to put in the Coastal Path, a sum little more than the salary of a Cabinet Minister.

At present, 34% of the English coast is inaccessible. Even where there is access, it is frequently only by the landowner’s permission, and so is not legally secure. Access is also fragmented, so it is not possible for people to walk continuously on the coastal path.

I am concerned that the deadline for completing the path is being allowed to slip back due to a lack of Departmental commitment to the project, despite the statutory duty to provide coastal access and the many benefits the path would provide. Parliamentary Questions this month have pressed the Government to provide a completion date, but the only response has been that no timetable has been set for completion and only ten stretches of coast are being targeted for increased access. This naturally leads to the fear that nothing will be done to complete any of the path outside these ten stretches.

I would like to draw your attention to Early Day Motion 497, which has received wide cross-party support, and which urges the Government to maintain funding for this project and clearly state a completion date. A number of my constituents have also written to me to express their support for this project, and to urge the Government to fulfil its statutory responsibility to provide access to English coasts.

I would be grateful if you would let me know whether this project has your Department’s support, and whether you will commit to providing sufficient funding to complete the path. I would also appreciate it if you could provide me—and the other MPs who have asked about this issue, along with our constituents—with a firm completion date, to ensure that this project is not pushed back indefinitely and people are able to enjoy the entire English coastline.

I look forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely,