National Marine Plan 2: planning position statement

1. Purpose Of Planning Position Statement

1.1 Outline

The National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) will provide a new planning framework to further sustainable development and use of our seas, support protection and recovery of our marine environment and support our varied and unique communities.

What: This Planning Position Statement (PPS) summarises our work to date on the development of Scotland’s NMP2. Here we consolidate stakeholder feedback and set out the latest in the development of high-level objectives and policy ideas for NMP2, in line with legal requirements and commitments related to Scotland’s seas.

Why: In accordance with our Statement of Public Participation and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy^[2], and as part of our commitment to just transition principles^[3], we are sharing draft outputs as they become available and seeking stakeholder feedback throughout the marine planning process. This statement provides an early opportunity for comment on the proposed policy ideas to be included in NMP2, ultimately helping to shape the plan from the outset.

The development of NMP2 is being supported by an extensive programme of engagement. A series of 14 online and in-person sector workshops took place from April to August 2024 to gather feedback on the draft high-level objectives for the plan and potential policy ideas. Over 100 organisations were represented across marine sectors, government, statutory advisors, non-governmental organisations and young people. This position statement summarises key themes emerging from the feedback provided during this engagement programme.

Who: The PPS is for consideration by anyone with an interest in the future of Scotland’s seas.

1.2 Consultation Questions

Consultation questions

When thinking about your response to the questions below, please consider how policy ideas could be the implemented. Please include any evidence or information that could support your response.

High-Level Objectives

1. Do you agree with the updated wording for the high-level objectives (HLOs) and the focus they set out for policies in the NMP2? Please state which HLO(s) you are referring to in your response.

2. Please add any additional comments on the HLOs in the space provided below.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

3. What are your views on the policy ideas proposed under the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation section?

Nature

4. What are your views on the policy ideas proposed under the Nature section?

5. Considering the definition of ‘Nature Positive’ included in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS), what are your views on how this could be implemented by different sectors and types of development and use? (Definition of ‘Nature Positive’ - “reversing the downward curve of biodiversity loss so that levels of biodiversity are once again increasing, bending the curve of biodiversity loss”.)

Sustainable Marine Economy

6. What are your views on both the cross-sector, and sector-specific policy ideas proposed under the Sustainable Marine Economy section?

7. What are your views on the definitions being proposed for ‘co-existence’ and ‘co-location’ as set out below:

Co-existence: “co-existence is where multiple developments, activities or uses can exist alongside or close to each other in the same place and/or at the same time.”

Co-location: “Co-location is a subset of co-existence and is where multiple developments, activities or uses coexist in the same place by sharing the same footprint or area or infrastructure.”

Please provide any alternative suggestions.

8. Do you think the policies relating to the Management of Pressures should be updated, retained or accompanied by clearer implementation guidance? Please include any suggestions and/or changes, stating which policy you are referring to.

Wellbeing and Accessibility

9. What are your views on the policy ideas proposed under the Accessibility and Wellbeing section?

Implementation

10. What are your views on the proposed policy ideas under the Implementation section? Please consider the role of the decision-maker and the potential introduction of prioritisation when responding.

11. If you agree that NMP2 should include prioritisation, which outcome do you prefer i.e. space for a specific use given priority, space for nature given priority? Should additional outcomes also be considered?

Please include any supporting information in your response.

12. What are your views on policy ideas suggested in relation to community informed decision-making?

Impacts of Proposed policies

13. In responding to the questions below it may be helpful to consider the potential implications on international or national competitiveness and Scotland as a destination for global investment.

• Do you think the policy ideas in the NMP2 will impact, either positively or negatively on any of the following:
• Marine sectors/businesses, consenting authorities, local authorities or any other planning decision makers?
• Please provide details.

1.3 How To Respond To This Consultation

We would value your thoughts on the proposals within this planning position statement to help inform the develop of the draft NMP2. Please respond to the consultation using the Scottish Government’s consultation hub, Citizen Space before the closing date of 28 January 2025.

If you are unable to respond using our consultation hub, please complete the Respondent Information Form. Please send the completed form with your response to:

Nationalmarineplanning@gov.scot

or

National Marine Plan 2 Team
Scottish Government
Area 1B North
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ

If you have any enquiries, please direct them to Nationalmarineplanning@gov.scot

Handling your response

If you respond using the consultation hub, you will be directed to the ‘About You’ page before submitting your response. Please indicate how you wish your response to be handled, and if you are content for your response to be published. If you ask for your response not to be published, we will regard it as confidential and will treat it accordingly.

All respondents should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2022 and would therefore have to consider any request made to it under the Act for information relating to the responses made to this consultation exercise.

To find out how we handle your personal data, please see our privacy policy: https://www.gov.scot/privacy/

1.4 Next Steps In The Process

Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public, and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public at http://consult.gov.scot. If you use the consultation hub to respond, you will receive a copy of your response via email.

Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us. Responses will be published where we have been given permission to do so. An analysis report will also be made available.

Disclaimer

The current National Marine Plan (2015) remains “legally effective” and will therefore remain in force until formally withdrawn in accordance with the processes set out in the Marine (Scotland) Act (MSA) 2010 and Marine and Coastal Access Act (MCAA) 2009.