Communities secretary John Denham has launched a new strategy designed to ensure all seaside towns are able to take advantage of their assets and heritage.

Strategy for Seaside Success: securing the future of seaside economics sets out a series of measures that will seek to help revitalise resorts through improved infrastructure. The existing Sea Change Programme, which has already invested £38m in projects to improve seaside locations, is set to be extended as part of the strategy, while the Heritage Lottery Fund will look at how more support can be offered to pier restoration projects.

A new £5m Seaside Towns Grant fund will be established to combat long-term unemployment in resorts, while powers will be introduced to allow unused properties and land to be put back into use through new 'Meanwhile Leases'. Denham said: "Our coastal areas are rich with history and a high quality of life that makes them attractive places to live in and many seafronts have been transformed in recent years with government investment and support.

"Places like St Ives, Hastings and Scarborough are showing they can thrive once again through strong local leadership and dynamic businesses, no longer dependent on British weather, attracting visitors all year round. There is no reason why our other seaside towns can't flourish in the same way." Patrick Browne of the Coastal Communities Alliance added: "The new coastal strategy provides the framework for new thinking, while the additional funding should enable new local solutions for addressing corrosive coastal deprivation."