Scottish Coastal Localities Typology (2016)

What is it: 

A multi-level coastal typology study was developed in 2016, by joint ESRC and Scottish Government doctoral student Dr Paula Duffy of the Marine and coastal environment team at the University of St Andrews. The study investigated 2011 census data (see also MS Maps NMPi ‘Human Population - Census 2011 /  Mid-2012 Population Density Estimates for Localities in Scotland (NRS)’) to create a socio-economic and demographic profile of characteristics in 2011. A second level of the typology incorporates measures for social composition and change over time in population size, age profile and social variables since the previous census in 2001.

A two-stage cluster analysis of the data (see link in ‘Data Sources’ tab for paper detailing the methodology) was undertaken for coastal localities (defined as within 2 kilometres of the coast) with populations of greater than 1,000 (for reasons of confidentiality). This 1,000 threshold explains why many smaller coastal communities do not feature on the maps.

The study has created 6 maps, hosted on MS Maps NMPi:

  1. Coastal localities by level 1 cluster group
  2. Military families
  3. Peripheral fishing and port towns
  4. Industrial roots
  5. Historic university town
  6. Linked later life localities
Data originators: 
University of St Andrews
This information page is part of the theme: 
Human Population
Coastal localities by level 1 cluster group © University of St Andrews
More Information: 

The study builds on and extends work undertaken in England and Wales to inform marine planning (see links in 'Additional Information' tab below).

  • Marine Management Organisation (2011) Socio-Economic Typologies of Coastal Communities and Web Mapping Service (WMS)
  • Welsh Government (2016): Development of a coastal community typology- An overview of coastal communities and how marine activities can support their development.

This multi-level Coastal Localities Typology differentiates between different types of coastal areas on the basis of their census based socio-economic and demographic characteristics. The Level 1 Typology was created using data drawn from 15 variables from demographic Socio-economic health and mobility indicators (e.g. age, household composition, self-rated health, industry, deprivation indicator, distance to work) of the 2011 Scottish Census. The level 2 analysis incorporates 3 variables measuring social diversity (ethnicity, religious affiliation, and country of birth), 5 change variables (Overall population change 2001 -2011,Proportional  population change by Age 2001 -2011, Proportional change in Ethnicity by Ethnic group 2001 -2011, Proportional change in Religious Affiliation by group 2001 -2011, and Proportional change in Country of Birth 2001 - 2011) taken from 2001 and 2011 Scottish Census; and an isolation variable (calculated on time to travel by land, including ferry, to nearest city of over 100,000 people: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh or Glasgow).  The underlying geography of coastal towns is taken from the Localities 2010 dataset of the National Records for Scotland. The data were created as part of Dr Paula Duffy’s ESRC doctoral studentship hosted by the University of St Andrews and Marine Scotland.

The analysis should inform national and regional marine planning by giving an insight into the patterns of socio-economic and demographic similarities and differences between Scottish coastal towns, providing a 2011 baseline across measures as well as how population structures in these towns have changed across time. As with the work from the England and Wales contexts, this has potential to inform development decisions through awareness of the wider socio-economic circumstances and demographic composition of coastal communities.

A link to the university web site from where the data can be downloaded is on the ‘Data Sources’ tab below. For further enquiries contact University of St Andrews (Marine and Coastal Environment Team, School of Geography and Sustainable Development, Irvine Building, North Street, University of St Andrews, KY16 9AL sgsd@st-andrews.ac.uk)

 

This page was last modified on : 
Thursday, December 19, 2019 - 16:48

Links and Resources

Map Type Click title for metadata and licence informationsort descending Date of data View Map
Map Layers (NMPi) Coastal settlement typology - Scotland 2016 - Historic university 2019-11-01 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Coastal settlement typology - Scotland 2016 - Industrial roots 2019-11-01 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Coastal settlement typology - Scotland 2016 - Level 1 2019-11-01 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Coastal settlement typology - Scotland 2016 - Linked later-life localities 2019-11-01 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Coastal settlement typology - Scotland 2016 - Military Families 2019-11-01 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Coastal settlement typology - Scotland 2016 - Peripheral fishing and port towns 2019-11-01 Access this map on NMPi
Type Link Titlesort descending External Link
Web link A Typology of Scottish Coastal Towns and Communities (University of St Andrews) www.st-andrews.ac.uk
Reports, Web link Duffy, P. D., and T. A. Stojanovic (2018) The Potential for Assemblage Thinking in Population Geography: Assembling Population, Space and Place. Population, Space and Place 24 (3) e2097. doi.org
Type Title External link
Reports Welsh Government (2016): Development of a coastal community typology- An overview of coastal communities and how marine activities can support their development gov.wales
Reports Marine Management Organisation (2011) Socio-Economic Typologies of Coastal Communities and Web Mapping Service (WMS) assets.publishing.service.gov.uk, data.gov.uk