REGENERATION bosses in Tendring claim they are already taking action to reinvent the coastal area.

A report by the House of Lords Select Committee on regenerating seaside towns, said neglected towns must be inspired to reinvent themselves.

They claim many coastal communities are in desperate need of improvements to transport, housing and broadband and young people in isolated areas need better access to further and higher education.

Ewan Green, corporate director for regeneration and planning at Tendring Council, welcomed the report for exploring key themes affecting seaside towns such as Clacton, Walton and Dovercourt.

“The committee’s report picks up on a number of issues affecting towns in Tendring, and I am glad the Lords who visited Clacton last summer have taken on board the points we raised,” Mr Green said.

“One of the striking comments for me comes from the introduction, which talks about how pursuing the recommendations they put forward will support seaside towns develop positive futures.

“Looking through the themes raised I believe the council, working with partners and communities, has already taken steps in many of these areas to achieve this including significant success in Clacton.

“This ranges from supporting and diversifying tourism, investing in events such as Clacton Airshow and Mayflower 400 celebrations in Harwich, creating a first-class beach offer through £36million investment and further £5million on cliff stabilisation in Holland-on-Sea, supporting significant private sector investment and addressing difficult issues, such as anti-social behaviour and houses of multiple occupation.

“Our hope is that this report will encourage government and national bodies to increase their strategic support and funding to benefit Tendring coastal communities and the specific challenges facing seaside towns.”

The House of Lords committee said it supports arts-led regeneration, which would help towns to diversify their economies and enhance local cultural assets.

The chairman of the committee, Lord Bassam of Brighton, grew up on Great Bentley’s De Vere estate and went to Clacton Secondary Modern School, now Clacton Coastal Academy.

He said: “For too long, seaside towns have been neglected.

“They suffer from issues rooted in the decline of their core industries, most notably domestic tourism, but also in fishing, shipbuilding and port activity, and from their location at the ‘end of the line’.

“The potential impact of Brexit on these towns, particularly the hospitality sector, also remains an open question.

“A single solution to their economic and social challenges doesn’t exist.

“What is needed is a package of strategic initiatives and interventions where national and local government work together to address issues such as transport, housing, post-school education and high-speed broadband.

“Places like Brighton and Bournemouth have shown that ‘the seaside’ can successfully reinvent itself.

“The committee is confident that if our recommendations are pursued seaside towns can once again become prosperous and desirable.”