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Scoping Solent MSP

The new MMO is tasked with establishing Marine Planning from 2010.   The MMO will need to provide a gap analysis between current plans and policies and a spatially mapped framework for spatial planning and management of the marine environment.  The subsequent  Marine Planning System (MPS) will be an evolution of the current planning system and current marine management arrangements.

A MPS  would involve the planning of activities to ensure sustainable use of marine resources and reduce conflicts, whilst ensuring compliance with national and international laws.  This involves a strategic plan led approach to marine activities through the creation of a MPS in specific areas.  It would ensure a balance of economic, social, cultural and environmental needs. 

A number of organisations are involved with managing the Solent including Local Authorities, Harbour Authorities, Environment Agency, Natural England, English Heritage, Sea Fisheries Committees, NGOs and recreational and user groups. The Solent Forum is holding a series of stakeholder workshops to involve its members in the process.  In addition many statutory and non statutory plans and initiatives exist. The area would benefit from a sub-regional marine plan to ensure future sustainable development and to provide a sound, comprehensive framework for decision making. A MPS for the Solent produced by the MMO will integrate marine management with the coastal zone taking into account  forecasts for sea level rise and the need for natural and man-made land based assets to roll-back.  There is a need therefore to plan for the next 100 years.

This proposed project, ‘Towards a Solent Marine Planning System’, will take some initial steps towards this aim and seek to examine different sectoral planning policies within the Solent to help inform the new  MMO and those with an interest in the potential development of a marine plan, as well as the coastal flood zone not currently effectively managed by local planning authorities.  This will also inform the development of marine planning more generally including any guidance due to be produced following the Marine Bill.

Defra have envisaged that marine spatial plans will extend from outer UK limits to MHWS. Terrestrial planning extends landward to MLWS. The Solent Forum planning project however will also include Flood Zone coastal mapping for 1:200 year probability and forecast SLR figures for the next 100 years.  This supports Defra’s requirement to integrate marine with relevant adjacent coastal initiatives. The plan will include the seabed and water column.  It will extend between Hurst Spit and Selsey Bill.