Managing Our Coast

Like other coastal zones in the UK, the Solent has a highly complex system of planning and management due to the different regulatory systems across the land-sea divide and the wide range of authorities and agencies involved. There is a correspondingly large number of plans, strategies and other initiatives around the Solent, produced by a range of organisations for different purposes and covering different areas and timescales. Currently a range of new legislation is coming into effect that will affect the planning and management of the coastal and marine environment and as a result new plans and processes are being introduced. The most notable are:

• The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, has brought significant changes to the planning system including a new development plans framework of regional spatial strategies and local development frameworks;
• The Water Framework Directive, bringing in a new system of river basin management plans;
• The Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, which will apply to a range of plans;
• EU Recommendation on ICZM; and
• The proposed Marine Bill.