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CoPraNet: RSS - Regional Spatial Strategy: a policy tool for delivery of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in North West England?

Type of Entry: Case Study
Website: http://rpg.nwra.gov.uk/planning/spatial.php
Duration: 07/2004 - 12/2007
Description: In England the new planning system requires the development of Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) to provide a framework for the physical development of the English Regions over the next 15 to 20 years. RSS replaces existing Regional Planning Guidance and, unlike Regional Planning Guidance, has statutory force. The existing Regional Planning Guidance for the North West of England included a coastal chapter with references to ICZM in the supporting text, however the policies themselves made no reference to the ICZM process.  As the Regional Planning Body for the North West, the North West Regional Assembly used the North West Coastal Forum as an ‘expert group’ to help to develop the new coastal policies. The North West Coastal Forum is a not-for-profit multi-sector partnership representing a wide range of coastal interests. Policy development was quite difficult as there is currently no English National ICZM Strategy, nor mechanism for marine spatial planning, although both are currently under development so that the coastal policies had to be crafted in such a way as to be ‘future-proofed’. The new policies now contain a direct reference to the need for integrated planning and management of the coast and adjacent sea areas through the use of ICZM and readers are referred to the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2002 concerning the implementation of ICZM in Europe (2002/413/EC). This explicit inclusion of ICZM in RSS represents the first real opportunity in England to require local planning authorities and other organisations to take account of ICZM when developing their local plans, although it must be emphasised that this does not confer statutory status on the ICZM process itself.  The North West’s draft RSS is undergoing a full public consultation and the policies may be altered as a result of this and the Examination in Public, however the current policy approach to integrated coastal management has been commended by the Marine Environment Division at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Keywords: Decision-making and public participation, Governance, Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), Spatial planning, Stakeholders and public participation
Documents:
RSS: A policy tool for delivery of ICZM in NW England (188.416 Bytes)
CoPraNet Case Study
 
Contact: Caroline Salthouse
North West Regional Assembly / English (NWRA)
Wigan Investment Centre
Waterside Drive
WN3 5BA Wigan
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 (0) 1942 779641
Fax: +44 (0) 1942 776740
E-Mail: caroline.salthouse@nwra.gov.uk
Website: www.nwra.gov.uk
Partner: North West Coastal Forum (www.nwcoastalforum.co.uk)