The construction of ‘coast’ in national planning policy

‘The coast’ is often presented as a discrete functional object of both development and environmental policy. An alternative understanding of ‘coast’ as a contested spatial construct in policy processes underpins this analysis of the identities of ‘coast’ in English and Scottish national planning policy since the mid-twentieth century. These identities are discussed in relation to fundamental tensions between conflicting conceptions of development and environmental protection within national planning policy in each jurisdiction. The paper argues that current coastal constructions potentially undermine attempts to proactively plan for the integration and innovation required to meet multiple needs across the land–sea interface.