Regional Coastal Groups of England

Coastal Groups bring together a region’s key partners in flood defence and coastal management – principally the coastal managers from maritime Local Authorities, Port Authorities and the Environment Agency. Other interested organisations, such as Natural England, English Heritage, land owners and Defra, will also be members.

There are seven regional coastal groups in England, as prescribed by Defra in March 2008, each of them formed with regard to local coastal processes (sediment cells) and River Basin Management Plans.

 Coastal Groups in England – March 2008, how Coastal Groups are to be formed, governed and operated (EA, PDF)

 Coastal Groups Governance – March 2017, Generic Terms of Reference (EA, PDF)

Coastal Groups are voluntary groups with significant strategic influence. They do not receive funding from central government but are resourced through a range of mechanisms generally involving membership contributions.

Coastal group boundaries are not coincident with national boundaries and, following coastal process principles, the strategic groups need to consider issues beyond the English borders.