Dr Heather RitchieUlster UniversityBelfast School of Architecture and the Built [email protected]
Coastal Governance and Planning Challenges in the North, towards a more sustainable and integrated development.
Source: own photo
Overview
Governance Context
Administrative Context
Land Use Planning Tools
Marine Planning
Climate Change
Coastal Partnerships
Public Participation Source: McElduff and Ritchie, 2021
Current Coastal and Marine Governance Arrangements
• A complex system of rights and responsibilities
• Coastal governance increasingly questioned within sustainability paradigms – ambiguity and contested definitions
• Governance = period of flux: terrestrial and marine
• Legislative changes
• Planning reform – Local Authority more involved
• Policy consolidation + decentralisation
• Emergence of marine planning agenda and ICZM
• Brexit – Covid 19 Pandemic – Climate Change (recent IPCC report)
• This affects capacity to sustainably manage coastal and marine environments
• 3Cs = Need greater levels of collaboration – co-operation and coherence across spatial scales and across marine and terrestrial planning are required
Source: Stephen Hull
UK Coasts in context
• Well documented coastal areas have economic and social challenges
• Coastal communities experience growth and decline cycles
• New environmental challenges –recognised that long term strategies needed to both natural and economic sustainability
Source: own photo
UK Coasts in context
• Well documented coastal areas have economic and social challenges
• Coastal communities experience growth and decline cycles
• New environmental challenges –recognised that long term strategies needed to both natural and economic sustainability
UK Coasts in context
• Well documented coastal areas have economic and social challenges
• Coastal communities experience growth and decline cycles
• New environmental challenges – recognised that long term strategies needed to both natural and economic sustainability
Source: own photo
UK Coasts in context
• Action remains = sectoral –piecemeal – reactive
• Adaptive approaches needed for this dynamic environment
• Consider alternative solutions and reduce future risk
Source: own photo
UK Coasts in context
• Action remains = sectoral –piecemeal – reactive
• Adaptive approaches needed for this dynamic environment
• Consider alternative solutions and reduce future risk
Source: own photo
Administrative Context
• UK Terrestrial planning system = discretionary
• LUP operates through various mechanisms + tools: hierarchy of plans → Structure Plans, Local Development Plans, Planning Policy Statements
BUT
• Coastal zones do not lie within remit of a single authority / organisation – different geographies – different spatial scales
= Patchwork framework – confused roles and responsibilities
• Leads to additional challenges with respect to changes in coastal and marine policy and land use planning reforms
Land Use Planning Tools for Coastal Planning?
• All 4 Devolved Administrations of UK developed own tools for coastal planning
Example:
• NI – RDS 2012 places responsibility on the UK Marine Policy Statement 2011 and subsequent marine plans to provide spatial guidance and detailed policy for land sea interface
• NO specific coastal policy for NI
• SPPS 2015 sets out regional planning policies – a section on coastal development
• Seeks to protect undeveloped coast from inappropriate unsustainable development and supports sensitive regeneration of developed coast
Source: own photo
Key Strategic planning policy and guidance in relation to coast across UK administrations
Marine Planning in the UK
• Example of Northern Ireland geographical overlapbetween marine and terrestrial environments (DAERA, 2017)
• Emphasis on potential role of MSP to facilitate effective coastal management – PANACEA?
• LDP and Marine Plans MUST be complementary
• MCAA 2009 – 1st comprehensive legislation to focus on governance
• Acknowledgement of need to deal with challenges of 21st Century
• Enable sustainable development of UK seas ?
• Each Devolved Administration own Marine Plan but consistent with MPS
• ICZM still not addressed or given a role – ‘a suturing mechanism’
• Still needs BETTER COHERENCE – between marine and terrestrial
Source: DAERA Marine and Fisheries Division
Climate Change Awareness
• In NI no regional Climate Changelegislation....yet
• Local Authorities do not have direct responsibility for protection of flooding or coastal erosion
• Coastal Defence – Protection – flooding –erosion – all different government Departments
• Old formulaic approach –Bateman Formula 1967 – each gov dept takes responsibility for construction, maintenance and repair of coastal protection – cost-benefit analysis
• Combination of DfI (Rivers Agency) (Roads Service), Transport NI – road and rail
Climate Change Awareness
• Operational Basis coastal defence is ad hoc – as and when needed
• Professor Andrew Cooper, Ulster University “NI will be rimmed in concrete”
• Need for Shoreline Management Plans in NI like rest of UK – to assess and plan for future changes
Source: own photo
Coastal Partnerships
• Important component of UK coastal governance framework since 1990s – not aligned
• Uneven geographical spread – not integrated
• Yet voluntary nature of coastal policy – funding is limited and inconsistent – high turnover of staff - key constraints
• No formal role for coastal partnerships identified in MCAA – their position is ambiguous
• E.g. Scottish Coastal Forum (1996) instrumental in advising Marine Scotland and supporting 6 local partnerships covering all Scottish Coast – many more on English Coastline
• 2006 NI set up Northern Ireland Coastal and Marine Forum –non-statutory cross-section of interests for implementation of NI ICZM Strategy – addressed interdepartmental issues
• Coastal Communities Fund – Big Lottery Funding – competitive –seeks to create sustainable economic growth
Source: own photo
Public Participation
• Public participation in environmental decision making is well established
• Operating through terrestrial provisions for proposed development –Sustainability Appraisals and Environmental Impact Assessment
• At local level – TSP encourages Local Authorities to produce – Statement of Community Involvement – outlines how LA engages with community
• No specific provisions for participation in coastal zone (but there is for Marine Plan)
• Need more opportunity for public to shape policies affecting their coasts
• UK strong NGO representation esp. for coastal management
• Their Role: Identify issues – gather evidence – educated local community –advocate policy change – increase community awareness – generate collective voice to challenge decision makers
Overall Assessment
• Coastal Governance = complex patchwork of legislation + policy guidance across different scales
• In UK – across 4 different administrations – progressing at different speeds – creating Policy Vacuums
• Clear lack of integrated approach to coastal management
• Planning Reform - allowed local authorities to make decisions + introduce policies respecting coastlines
• New Era for coastal management – there are positive changes – Marine Planning helping – there is a role for ICZM
• Still a long way to go – Brexit (esp NI/ ROI), Covid, Climate Change, Resources
• Will achieve more if we have:
Collaboration, co-operation & coherence.Source: own photo