A Consultation on the Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan

Overview

A working group consisting of Marine Scotland, Orkney Islands Council and Highland Council have developed this pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan. The Plan sets out an integrated planning policy framework to guide marine development, activities and management decisions, whilst ensuring the quality of the marine environment is protected. The marine environment is used for a wide variety of different purposes and this Plan aims to set out a coherent strategic vision, objectives and policies to further the achievement of sustainable development. This will include the protection and, where appropriate, enhancement of the marine environment within the Plan area. As a non-statutory Plan, it will complement and support existing ambitions and responsibilities rather than replace them.

The working group have undertaken this pilot to put in place a planning policy framework in advance of statutory regional marine planning. It is anticipated that this Marine Spatial Plan will establish a useful basis for the preparation of the two separate regional marine plans for Orkney and the North Coast Scottish Marine Regions. Through the process of producing this pilot Marine Spatial Plan for Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters, there have been many lessons learned. These will inform the preparation of future regional marine plans and the governance arrangements that could underpin Marine Planning Partnerships.

The status of the pilot Plan is that it will be used by the Marine Scotland Licensing Operations Team (MS-LOT) as a material consideration in the determination of marine licensing and section 36 consent applications within the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters area (subject to approval by Scottish Ministers). There is potential for the final pilot Marine Spatial Plan to be adopted as planning policy advice or as supplementary guidance to the Orkney Local Development Plan and the Highland-wide Local Development Plan, as revised.

Why your views matter

 

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The spatial diagram above presents an indicative overview of key marine activities, infrastructure, natural and historic environment assets within the PFOW area. It should be noted that the spatial diagram is designed to give an overall impression of the complex patterns of use in the Plan area. Detailed data that underpins the spatial diagram is contained in the general and sectoral policy maps in the Plan. 

Handling your response

We need to know how to handle your response and, in particular, whether you are happy for it to be made public. The responses in the 'Information about you' section or in the Respondent Information Form will ensure that we treat your response appropriately. If you ask for your response not to be published we treat it as confidential.

You should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and must consider any request made to it under the Act for information relating to responses made to this consultation exercise.

What happens next?

Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us finalise the pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan.

If you have given permission for your response to be made public and after we have checked that it contains no potentially defamatory material, your response will be makde available to the public in the Scottish Government Library and on the Scottish Government consultation web pages. You can make arrangements to view responses by contacting the SG Library on 0131 244 4552

Comments and complaints

If you have any comments about how this consultation exercise has been conducted, please send them to:

Tracy McCollin

Marine Licensing Operations Team

Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB

E-mail: tracy.mccollin@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Responding to this consultation

We invite responses to this consultation by 6 September 2015. There is a link to the online survey below. The questionnaire has several questions and you can provide responses to all or some of them.

If you prefer to respond in writing please send your response with the completed Respondent Information Form (provided with the consultation documents) to:

PFOWmarinespatialplan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Access the consultation document and Respondent Information Form here.

Or

Tracy McCollin

Marine Licensing Operations Team

Marine Laboratory

375 Victoria Road

Aberdeen AB11 9DB

What happens next