Highland Council agrees regional adaptation plan to support coastal communities

30th May 2025

Members of the Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee have today agreed a Regional Coastal Change Adaptation Plan. This will enable coastal communities to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change over time.

Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: "The world’s climate is changing and already the sea level around Scotland is rising at an alarming rate. Highland coastlines are home to much of our region’s population as well as significant infrastructure such as harbours, ports, roads and railways. It’s crucial that we do everything we can to prepare and support communities who may be affected by increased coastal impacts as a result of climate change. There is a risk that flooding and erosion will impact our communities more frequently and this plan will help us to mitigate disruption to communities, infrastructure and assets along our coastlines."

The Regional Coastal Change Adaptation Plan (Regional CCAP) provides an overview of the risks across the Highland Council area, identifying communities and assets that are most likely to be negatively impacted by climate change, rising sea levels, coastal erosion and flooding.

Cllr Gowans continued: “The plan recognises the need to be flexible in how we respond to the impacts of climate change along our coastlines, in order to help Highland communities and the Highland Council manage current and future risks. Our coastal zone is known for its rich biodiversity, cultural and environmental heritage and it also plays an important role in the Highland economy through industry and tourism. By identifying the highest risk locations and enabling progress at local levels, we can develop an adaptive pathway approach to support our coastal communities, biodiversity, cultural heritage and environment to adapt to the impacts of coastal climate change over time.”

The plan provides a flexible framework to address long-term and short-term climate change risks and enables Highland Council and coastal communities to adapt and become more resilient to climate change impacts now and in the future. 29 high-risk locations have been identified for further investigation and potential development of Local Coastal Change Adaptation Plans.

Cllr Gowans added: “For the plan to be successful, it will be important for us to work with communities at risk and collaborate with asset owners and neighbouring local authorities to ensure we can steer future development away from risk whilst safeguarding coastal locations. The plan will be reviewed and updated going forward and made public on our website for shared learning opportunities.”