Agreement on the Marine and Coastal Access Bill announced

The UK Government and the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have work on an agreement on a UK–wide approach to marine planning.

The agreement will provide a coherent legislative framework with greater clarity and certainty.

As part of the agreement, more functions will be devolved to Scottish and Welsh ministers.  Marine planning and nature conservation zone powers will be devolved for the offshore area adjacent to Scotland.  In addition, the Bill will provide for the creation of a Welsh zone for fisheries and ensure that the National Assembly for Wales has the competence to legislate for the establishment of a route around the Welsh coast and for public access to land at or near the coast for recreational purposes.

Taken together, these agreements and new powers will enable the delivery of a UK Marine and Coastal Access Bill with real benefits across the UK, with the full support of the three Devolved Administrations.

Commenting on the development, Maria McCaffery MBE, chief executive of the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), said that she hoped the creation of a new single body tasked with managing the marine environment would help ensure that conservation and renewable energy interests are balanced.

The BWEA raised four issues:

·          The timetable of the Bill must be complementary with the Round 3 offshore wind energy delivery process;

·          The Marine Management Organisation must be fit for the purpose: well resourced and with sustainable development clearly defined within its remit;

·          Marine Policy Statements must explicitly include renewable energy targets;

·          The new network of Marine Conservation Zones should be designated by the new MMO, as is proposed in the legislation being considered in Scotland. The designation process must consider the impact on all future use in terms of renewable energy developments.

"The Marine and Coastal Access Bill is a pioneering piece of legislation, but we must ensure that it allows for the expansion of marine renewable energy, including offshore wind, wave and tidal," she said. "It would be a pyrrhic victory if short-term conservation undermined long-term sustainability and our ability to tackle climate change."