• Achievements
• Aims & Objectives
• Business plan
• Constitution
• Core service
• Jobs and courses
• Meetings
• Members
• Research
• Sems
• Solent map
• Somap
• Aims and objectives
• Case studies
• Communications strategy
• Information requirements
• National msp progress
• Policy matrix
• Project background
• Resources
• Scoping solent msp
• Stakeholder meetings
• Staff
• Steering group
• Sub groups

SoMaP Project Background

The supporting work for a Marine Plan in the Solent has been pioneered and developed by the Solent Forum in conjunction with the support of Hampshire County Council. 

As an independent non-statutory coastal partnership, the Forum has sought to provide a network for all the different sectors operating in the Solent, facilitating information dissemination.  In 2002, the forum produced a marine consents guide, which has been updated.  This guide lists all the consents required for different activities in the coastal environment, as well as existing codes of conduct. In 1997, the Forum developed Strategic Guidance for the Solent on behalf of its members.  This guidance examined the different policies and plans of each sector operating in the Solent.  In 2006, this guidance was updated based upon the outcomes of a Strategic Opportunities Workshop.  In 2007 the Forum started developing ideas to start the necessary pre-cursor work for a Solent Planning system.  A  Solent Forum project meeting was held on 29th February 2008 to discuss a new project proposal put forward by the Solent Forum Officer and subsequently an amended project proposal entitled ‘Changing Coast Project’ put forward to the Solent Forum Steering Group in June 2008.

The Solent Forum work closely with Hampshire County Council, who started to develop an Interreg IV bid for a marine spatial planning pilot in Solent in March 2007.  This project was not progressed at the time due to lack of resources due to staff changes.

Defra have indicated that areas like the Solent would be ideal for sub-regional Marine Plan. Natural England see the value of practical case studies and projects at a range of scales and covering different situations, to inform and shape Marine Planning; the Solent would be a good example of a sub regional area with a high level of marine activity alongside high environmental interest. 

The Solent Forum believes it is now well placed to scope the first stage of a Marine Plan for the Solent. A Scoping Document (available from the Forum office) draws together ideas from the previous documents, discussions held between Hampshire County Council, Solent Forum and Natural England and other issues that have arisen since discussion began and puts forward a project ‘Towards a Solent MSP.’