Well-being at the coast: maximising the socio-cultural benefits of England's seascapes

Coastal environments are important social and cultural assets. They are valued by local communities and visitors for their natural and aesthetic qualities, and have significant historical, industrial and architectural features. They are places of rest, leisure, contemplation and healthy activities. A recent study links living by the coast to improved mental health, especially for people of lower income (Garrett et al, 2019). In order to maximise their benefits, the qualities of coastal settings should be understood and incorporated into decision-making. This project aims to develop an understanding of seascape that is informed by a natural capital approach to the coastal environment and that can be integrated to marine and coastal planning, with an emphasis on the contribution of seascape to well-being. The project will also contribute to a more holistic understanding of natural capital, in that natural, social and cultural dimensions are co-constitutive of social benefits (Acott & Urquhart, 2017). This study aims to investigate how Natural Capital and Well-being Research can be better integrated into the Seascape Character Assessment (SCA) process to aid decision-makers to maximise their value for both individuals, community and wider society. Fieldwork using mixed methodologies will be utilised to examine how the coast can be sustainably used to improve well-being in England. The study will expand upon existing conceptual frameworks examining seascape character, ecosystem services and more broadly natural capital to develop a new approach to assess the connections between these dimensions to create a new framework to be underpin the analytical tools to examine the case studies identified.