A Regional Planning Perspective

Caroline SalthouseRegional Coastal Project OfficerNorth West Regional Assembly

The North West:a Region of Diversity

• Population 6.7 million, population density over three times that of EC average

• Diverse regional economy, bigger than many European countries

• Social extremes - pockets of high affluence and areas of severe deprivation and social exclusion

• Described in the current SDF as a ‘bi-polar metropolitan region in a coastal position and with extensive rural areas’

• Long and varied coastline – around 1000 km

• Major population areas close to coastal areas, particularly in the region’s south

• Historic coastal resorts – Blackpool, Southport, Morecambe

• Thriving maritime economy – major ports and related economic activity

• World Heritage Site, Heritage Coast, 2 coastal AONBs, 1 coastal regional park, 2 proposed, over 80% of the coast / inter-tidal areas internationally protected for wildlife value

• Low-lying, sedimentary coast, subject to natural coastal change and susceptible to effects of climate change

The North West Coast

Key Coastal Planning Issues

• Marine Spatial Planning \ ICZM concepts

• Regeneration of coastal resorts and West Cumbria

• Climate Change and coastal change, inc. defence

• Ports and the maritime economy

• Tourism and recreation, including Coastal Regional Parks

• Environmental Resources – aggregates, biodiversity, etc.

• Energy generation (on- and off-shore)

• Quality of life, health, etc.

• Links to other plans e.g. River Basin Management Plans, Shoreline Management Plans, etc.

Regional Spatial Strategy (RPG)• Existing RSS (formerly RPG 13)

• Core Development Principles enshrine ‘ensuring an integrated and sensitive approach to the development and management of the coast’

• Range of other CDPs relevant to coastal/marine issues

• Spatial Development Framework - Policy SD7 relates to the coast and forms part of the Regional Transport Strategy

• Chapter 6 ‘Enhancing the Coastal Zone’, includes:

– Defining the coastal zone policy

– Coastal development and coastal defence policies

– Coastal communities and economic development policy

• Separate policies on on marine-dredged aggregates, climate change, ports, and sustainable freight, etc.

Key points

• Requirement to consider off-shore activity when planning landward infrastructure

• Requirement to consider adjacent areas and related plans

• Two-way relationship between Regional Economic Strategy and RSS

• Was ‘guidance’ only, now statutory

• BUT planning responsibility stops at the mean low water mark and this can lead to:

– lack of understanding of issues, complexities and implications

– results in unwillingness to consider ‘marine’ issues

– and, in some cases, blinkers!

The North West:Landward Planning

The New Regional Spatial Strategy

• Statutory under the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

• Will provide a spatial framework for Local Development Frameworks and for the Regional Development Agency

• A spatial vision for the region with a 15 to 20 year time-frame

• Not just about traditional land-use planning but also wider spatial issues like health

• Timescales - formal consultation on interim draft Oct –Nov 2005, submission to GO-NW Jan 2006, formal public consultation March –June 2006, EIP Oct 2006, final publication Sept 2007

The Coastal Policies

• Debate over whether the coast is a sub-region

• Placement of policies within the draft document still uncertain - currently split between Spatial Development Framework and ‘Enjoying and Managing the North West -Living within Environmental Limits’

• Informal, targeted, consultation so far, with North West Coastal Forum acting as ‘expert group’ on coastal policy issues but wider input from strategic authorities, etc.

• 15 to 20 year time-frame, so needs future-proofing –need to consider:

- Likely national strategies, policies and new legislation e.g. ICZM, Marine Spatial Planning and the Marine Bill

- Emerging EU policy and legislation, e.g. EU Marine Thematic Strategy / Marine Framework Directive

- Possible linkages to an adjacent Marine Spatial Plan

Draft SDF 21: Integrated Planning and Management of the NW’s Coastal Zone

States that LDFs should:

• Take into account the principles of ICZM

• Reflect the strategic approach to coastal management and principles of ICZM as detailed in the EU’sRecommendation on ICZM and any national policy on ICZM

• Facilitate work with coastal partnerships to develop and implement ICZM

• Define the developed, undeveloped and remote coast at a strategic & local level

• Ensure compatibility with the sustainable planning and long-term management of the adjacent marine environment and that account is taken of any relevant legislation or national policy relating to marine spatial planning

Draft EM5: Coastal DevelopmentStates that LDFs should:

• Enhance economic importance and diversity of coastal communities whilst maintaining / enhancing natural, historic and cultural heritage value of the region’s coast.

• Should ensure compatability with sustainability and long-term management of coastal defences, taking into account the likely effects of climate change

• Further detail given on a large raft of coastal issues which are required to be considered

Protect: functional integrity of the intertidal/offshore areas, coastal assets, natural resources, undeveloped coastAllow for: climate change, natural coastal changeSupport/enhance: maritime economy, regeneration, tourism and recreation, placing of new development, maritime economy, coastal regeneration priority areas, tourism and recreation, image, diversification of coastal economy; sustainable planning of adjacent areasEncourage: inward investmentCo-ordinate: LDFs and other plans/strategies

Key Points• Policy hard to formulate when so much is still

uncertain

• The proposed policy wording is aimed to help to ‘bridge the gap’ between the landward and any future seaward spatial planning systems

• Policy reference to Marine Spatial Planning was strongly requested in initial consultation rounds indicating a rising awareness that coastal planning authorities and others need to look beyond the mean low water mark

• RSS represents the first opportunity for giving statutory weight to non-statutory plans such as SMPsand ICZM plans/strategies – and MSP if MSP is non-statutory

MSPP Benefits - a Regional Perspective• Provides the ‘big picture’ currently lacking

• Forward planning of seaward activities and their land-based infrastructure needs becomes easier

• Activity zoning also likely to help determine necessary landward allocation

• Interface between the two plans may help to ensure sea users consider onshore issues more

• Aids better engagement and understanding of complex marine issues by land-based planners

• BUT:

– What are the jurisdiction boundaries?

– How is any overlap to be dealt with?

– How much account of RSS will MSP take? e.g. MSP may be done nationally and will abut more than one region

Contact

Caroline Salthouse

Regional Coastal Project OfficerNorth West Regional Assembly

Tel: 01942 776941

Email: caroline.salthouse@nwra.gov.uk

Website: www.nwra.gov.uk