SSMEI Clyde Pilot

Events

Conference on Marine Spatial Planning
21 November 2006, Glasgow

(posted 24 January 2007)

On 21 November 2006, over 80 delegates gathered at The Lighthouse in central Glasgow to attend the annual conference of the Firth of Clyde Forum, hosted in collaboration with the SSMEI Clyde Pilot on the theme of Marine Spatial Planning.  The conference aims were:

• to inform delegates of developments in marine spatial planning in the UK and beyond;

• to create dialogue between stakeholders and collect their views for input into the development of a local marine spatial plan for the Firth of Clyde; and

• to input into wider discussions on marine spatial planning at both a local and national level.

Debate in the breakout sessions was stimulated by presentations from speakers drawn from the UK and beyond. An Vanhulle (University of Gent/WES Consultancy) gave an account of the development of a marine spatial plan for the Belgian North Sea, while Susanna Braham (Scottish Executive, on behalf of DEFRA) provided an update on marine spatial planning in relation to the UK Marine Bill. Graham U’Ren (Royal Town Planning Institute Scotland) focused on the Scottish dimension and John Donnelly (SSMEI Clyde Pilot) described the proposed local marine spatial plan for the Firth of Clyde.

All of these presentations have been placed on the Firth of Clyde Forum site and can be accessed by clicking here.

The morning breakout session examined  the possible functions of Marine Spatial Plans in the  context of Scotland and the UK, while the afternoon session considered how the concept of Marine Spatial Planning should be translated to a the more local level.  Click to view a summary of the workshop discussions.