Open Consultations
To view Solent Forum consultation responses visit our consultation response page.
Wightlink Scoping Report
Wightlink has submitted a Scoping Report to all relevant stakeholders as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of its proposals for the ferry service running from Lymington to Yarmouth. The Scoping Report will inform the content of the Environmental Statement (ES) for the Project which will accompany the applications for the relevant consents required to complete it. Under the relevant legislation, the local planning authorities are required to provide their opinion on the scope of the ES having considered the Scoping Report and consultation responses to it. Their scoping opinion has to be issued by 29 July 2010. Any person wishing to comment on the proposed scope of the EIA should write to the local planning authorities and any comments should be received in advance of the date specified above. Comments can also be submitted to Wightlink at the following address Wightlink c/o Alistair Billington, Environmental Resources Management, 2nd Floor Exchequer Court, 33 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8AA. or email alistair.billington@erm.com.
EIA Legislation Review
The European Commission has launched a wide public consultation in relation to the review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation. The consultation covers issues, such as the screening of projects for EIA, the quality of the EIA process, the harmonisation of assessment requirements among Member States, cross-border difficulties when projects affect more than one Member State, the role of the environmental authorities, and development of synergies with other EU policies, such as climate change and biodiversity. The findings of the consultation will feed into a Commission review next year. All interested parties – citizens, stakeholders and organisations involved in environmental assessments – are invited to respond to the public consultation by 24 September 2010. The consultation document is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/eia.htm.
Enjoying Water Project
The Environment Agency is encouraging people to have their say on the future of water sport and leisure development in London and the South East with the launch of a public consultation for its Enjoying Water project. It is now encouraging anyone with an interest in water sports and leisure pursuits to visit http://www.brighton.ac.uk/waterrecreation and comment on the findings and opinions already expressed. The consultation is open from 5 July until 30 September 2010.
Marine Act Implementation: Public Consultation
21st July 2010 - 13th October 2010
The public consultations and supporting documents on the Marine Policy Statement, the Marine Planning System and Marine Licensing consultation are now live and can be accessed on the following links:
- The Marine Policy Statement (UK) will be the first part of new systems of marine planning being introduced around the UK. It will provide the high level policy context within which Marine Plans will be developed, and set the direction for marine licensing and other relevant authorisation systems. The Marine Policy Statement will be the overarching policy framework for the UK marine area.
- The Marine Planning System consultation (England) will provide a context for the Marine Policy Statement by outlining the planning system in England as a whole, and has been designed to function both as guidance for the planning function of the Marine Management Organisation and as a wide-ranging description of the marine planning system for the benefit of other interested bodies and persons.
- A new Marine Licensing System introduced by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 will be launched in Spring 2011. The consultation (England only) sets out policy proposals for the implementation of the new system, covering key aspects including the application process, appeals against licensing decisions, and exemptions.
- The summary of responses to Marine Plan area consultation sought views on the proposed marine plan area boundaries for English inshore and offshore regions and the criteria for selecting the order in which the Marine Management Organisation should begin planning within those regions.
