The EU Maritime Spatial Planning Directive 2014

The EU Directive 2014/89/EU establishing a framework for Maritime Spatial Planning (OJ L 257, 28.8.2014) (the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive 2014 (MSPD) as it continues to apply in the EU established a common framework for maritime spatial planning, by which the relevant EU Member States’ authorities analyse and organise human activities in marine areas to support sustainable development and growth in the maritime sector, applying an ecosystem-based approach to promote the coexistence of relevant activities and uses. The MSPD requires EU Member States (other than landlocked EU Member States) to establish and implement marine plans within their marine waters by 2021.

Implementation in the UK

Marine planning in the UK is governed by Part 3 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA 2009). MCAA 2009 gives devolved administrations responsibility for their inshore and offshore waters as the 'responsible marine planning authorities', with the exception of the Scottish and Northern Ireland inshore waters, as marine planning for these regions are already addressed by the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 (not available in Lexis®Library) respectively.

MCAA 2009 created a framework for managing and protecting the marine environment. It:

1. •

   established a strategic marine planning system to set out local and national marine objectives and priorities, which provide the