Parts of the UK coastline, particularly in the East of England, are retreating. Not all the coastline can be protected and some buildings will be lost to the sea. The UK government set up the Coastal Change Pathfinder Programme in 2009 with around £11 million. The goal was to allow local councils to explore new and innovative approaches to planning for and managing coastal change. Fifteen local councils around England were commissioned to carry out projects over a period of around 18 months.