Adaptation to coastal erosion at Lizard Point, Tyne & Wear, UK

Practical examples of adapting to coastal change have been relatively rare in the UK, with a general historic preference for ‘protection’ of assets rather than their removal or relocation. This paper presents a case study from Tyne & Wear in North East England where practical decisions had to be made with only limited monitoring data about whether to protect a cliff top car park or alternatively to adapt the cliff top land use in line with the ongoing coastal change. The paper places the contemporary problem within the context of local social changes, coastal changes and climate changes at the site and explains the ongoing coastal erosion and management problems this issue presents. The preferred adaptation response is described, including how the project presents opportunities for local community engagement. The local case study is then used as a means of setting the context of current thinking and future planning amongst decision makers and the local community for a larger scale project involving re-alignment – rather than protection – of the nearby coastal highway in future decades.