The risks of coastal erosion and flooding are increasing across the UK, yet coastal management approaches remain fragmented and differentiated, with varying legislation, institutional responsibilities and resource limitations creating significant challenges for planning within coastal authorities. In Northern Ireland, the absence of a formalised coastal management framework leaves councils without a clear policy basis for proactive adaptation, creating uncertainty within planning processes. In England, Shoreline Management Plans offer a framework for adaptation, but their integration within spatial planning is inconsistent. Funding for managing coastal risk across the UK is uncertain. Together, these uncertainties create challenges for planners to balance development pressures and socio-economic objectives with longer-term adaptation to coastal change and flooding.

This paper presents findings from a comparative project examining how planners in England and Northern Ireland interpret and manage these uncertainties, drawing on insights from participatory workshops with local authority planners, policymakers and coastal practitioners. The research illustrates the type of uncertainty planners and coastal managers encounter, and reflects upon the institutional and policy conditions that shape their work. In particular, the challenges of balancing longer-term adaptation to coastal risk, with more immediate pressures of meeting housing need and tackling socio-economic challenges. The paper reflects upon how coastal management frameworks shape decision-making, and identifies opportunities and recommendations for more effective responses to the increasing risks of coastal flooding and erosion.