The document discusses marine spatial planning for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters area of Scotland. It provides an overview of marine spatial planning, the pilot plan being developed for this area, and how land use planning can integrate with marine infrastructure development. A working group composed of local and national organizations is leading stakeholder engagement to create a non-statutory marine plan to inform licensing and development decisions in the region. The plan will provide guidance on coordinating activities like marine renewables, aquaculture, and ports/harbors across both land and sea.
Transformational Projects – the Orkney story so far
Doctoral Training Heriot Watt University FINAL
1. Marine Planning in Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters
James Green
Development and Marine Planning
Orkney Islands Council
SuperGen Doctoral Training Programme
Getting to Grips with the Marine Environment ‐ II
Heriot‐Watt University
June 2014
2. Content
• Brief introduction to marine planning
• Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters
Marine Spatial Plan
• Land use planning and marine
infrastructure
3. What is marine spatial planning?
‘Marine spatial planning is a public process of analysing and allocating
the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine
areas to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives that
usually have been specified through a political process’ (UNESCO).
4. Why develop a plan?
• Sustainable development
• Strategic vision and spatial strategy
• Promote efficient use of space
• Stakeholder knowledge and buy-in
• Engage local communities
• Build consensus and find common ground
• Provide greater certainty for developers
• Reduce risk in the licensing process
• Monitoring and adaption
5. Marine Planning in Scotland
• Marine (Scotland) Act 2010
- National marine plan and atlas
- Regional marine plans
- Provision for Marine Planning
Partnerships
- Licensing
- Marine Protected Areas
‘A public authority must take any authorisation
or enforcement decision in accordance with the
appropriate marine plans, unless relevant
considerations indicate otherwise’ Section 15(1).
6. Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine
Spatial Plan
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/seamanagement/regional/pentlandorkney
7. The plan area
The plan area
Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine
Spatial Plan
8. Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine
Spatial Plan
Working Group
• Marine Scotland (Lead)
• Highland Council
• Orkney Islands Council Advisory Group
• Scottish Natural Heritage
• Scottish Environment Protection
Agency
• Historic Scotland
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise
• Orkney Harbour Authority
• Scrabster Harbour Trust
• Royal Yachting Association
Stakeholders
For example:
• Local communities;
• Commercial fisheries;
• Marine renewables;
• Aquaculture; and
• Recreational interests.
How is the plan being
delivered?
10. Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine
Spatial Plan
• Set out the plan making process for consultation,
November 2012Plan Scheme
• Stakeholder Events in July 2013
• Included draft Environmental Report
Planning Issues and
Options
• Responded to stakeholder contributions
• Outlines Working Group actions for drafting the plan
Consultation Analysis
and Report
• Structured discussion to develop policies
• Will take place from July to the end of 2014
Stakeholder Focus
Groups
• Formal 12 week consultation (Start 2015)
Draft Marine Spatial
Plan
• Will include Post Adoption Statement and HRA, 2015
Final Plan and
associated documents
• Lessons learned
• Review of pilot process
Review
12. The PFOW marine spatial plan is non statutory and, if approved by
Scottish Ministers, will be:
• A material consideration in the determination of marine
licensing, works licenses and Section 36 applications
• Can be adopted as Planning Policy Advice
or as Supplementary Guidance to the appropriate Local
Development Plan
Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters
Marine Spatial Plan
The status of the plan
13. • Local Development Plans and planning guidance
• Masterplanning and Development Briefs
• Investment in port and harbour infrastructure
Land use planning and marine infrastructure
14. Land use planning
• Overlap with marine plans across the
intertidal zone
• Local Development Plans and the
coastal zone
• Integrating land based and marine
development
• The aquaculture anomaly
15. Masterplanning and Development Briefs
• Coordinate development and
infrastructure
• Engage businesses and end users
• Identifies environmental constraints /
sensitivities
• Developer contributions and funding
18. Lyness
• Marine renewables (O&M), aquaculture, heritage
• Land in Council ownership
• Enterprise Area
• £2.97m investment to upgrade the wharf (OIC and
ERDF)
• Over 300,000 sq.m. of lay down areas available
adjacent to quay edge
• Sheltered deep water anchorage within Scapa Flow
• HIE Engineering hubs in planning
• Regular connectivity to Orkney Mainland
20. • Ferry terminal, cruise ships, marine renewables
• Council owned land and Enterprise Area
• £8 million to extend the pier (OIC and ERDF)
• Accommodate vessels up to 385 meters LOA and 10.5
meter drafts
• Support marine renewables in the North Isles
• Regular connectivity to Aberdeen (Sea) and UK (Air)
Hatston, Kirkwall
22. Copland's Dock Stromness
• Council land
• Ten hectares of laydown land
• Total quay edge of 337 meters
• £10.6m jointly funded by OIC, ERDF and Scottish
Government
• Renewables support vessels, aquaculture, fishing vessels
and freight
• Access to sheltered waters in Scapa Flow
23. Marine Planning – A Council Perspective
James Green
Development and Marine Planning
Orkney Islands Council
james.green@orkney.gov.uk
