Project: From marine plans to marine licences: a weak link in the English system?
Research published June 2024
Lead researchers and institutions:
Dr Joseph Kofi Ansong at University of Liverpool*, Dr Stephen Jay at University of Liverpool*, George Colcomb
* RTPI-accredited planning school
NOTE: Findings and recommendations reflect the views of the researchers at the time of writing and are not necessarily the views of the RTPI
Key takeaways
- As the first generation of marine plans has now been completed for English waters, attention is turning to their implementation and the Marine Management Organisation is taking initiatives in this regard.
- Marine plans in England are not yet being used as fully as they could be in decision-making processes for marine activities, such as marine licensing.
- Marine plans that contain policies that are more spatially prescriptive would contribute more strongly to marine licencing and wider decision-making.
- Marine planning and licencing teams could work more closely in order to ensure a more integrated process of development of marine activities.
Summary
The marine planning system was introduced by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, with the expectation that it would be seamlessly linked to licencing.
This study explored the implementation of marine plans in England, particularly the extent to which the plans are informing marine licensing decisions, such as for marine renewables or harbour works.
An analysis of 700 licencing decisions was carried out, covering all the decisions made between 2014 and 2021 for the East Marine Plans area (off the east coast of England). The study showed that the relevant marine plan was only referred to in a minority of cases, either by applicants for the marine activities in question or by the licencing authority itself (the Marine Management Organisation, which is also responsible for drawing up the marine plans).
However, there was some increase in the reference to policies in the marine plans over the period studied, suggesting that learning was taking place about the need to take the plans into account when considering licence applications. This suggests that licencing is being carried out as a technical exercise with insufficient regard to the wider perspectives that the plans introduce, such as cross-sectoral considerations.
The plans themselves may also be insufficiently specific and spatial to contribute to licencing decisions. There is, therefore, a need for greater integration of the planning and decision-making aspects of the marine development process.
It should be noted, however, that the Marine Management Organisation has taken steps to improve implementation of plans, such as producing guidance to increase awareness of the plan policies and their importance.
Full reference
Onwona Ansong, J., Jay, S., & Colcomb, G. (2025). ‘From marine plans to marine licences: a weak link in the English system?’ Planning Practice & Research, 40(1), 122–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2024.2414148
Link to the report
Full article: From marine plans to marine licences: a weak link in the English system?
Related outputs
Stephen Jay (2021) ‘Experiencing the Sea: Marine Planners’ Tentative Engagement with Their Planning Milieu’, Planning Practice & Research. DOI: 10.1080/02697459.2021.2001149 / https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2021.2001149
