What’s your experience of the South Marine Plans and the Draft North East, North West, South East and South West Marine Plans? The MMO want to hear from you!

Are you a decision maker or a proponent in the south, north east, north west, south east or south west marine plan areas? Or do you have experience of using the Marine Plans in another capacity, or a strong interest in Marine Planning in England?

On 15^th October 2020, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) launched the latest annual monitoring surveys for the South Marine Plans, as well as the baseline monitoring surveys for the North East, North West, South East and South West Draft Marine Plans – providing an opportunity for stakeholders to feedback on Marine Plan application and effectiveness. The Monitoring Surveys are open until Tuesday 15^th December 2020. Following feedback the MMO received last year, they have updated the surveys to make them more accessible to all stakeholders.

The monitoring surveys are different from the consultation on the Draft NE, NW, SE and SW Marine Plans that ran earlier this year. We are interested in how these, and the South, Marine Plans are being used to inform development of terrestrial Local Plans.  We are also interested in how they are being applied in development management. Whether you have used the plans yet or not, your feedback is important.

In July 2018 the South Inshore and Offshore Marine Plans were adopted, and in January 2020, the Draft North East, Draft North West, Draft South East and Draft South West Marine Plans were published as part of the public consultation, at which point they became a material consideration. The plans apply in England’s south, north east, north west, south east and south west marine plan areas visible through our new interactive digital service, Explore Marine Plans: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/explore-marine-plans.

These annual surveys are an opportunity for you to tell us how you think the South Marine Plans, as well as the Draft North East, North West, South East and South West Marine Plans are performing.

Marine plan policies cover a wide array of matters including access, marine aggregates, aquaculture, conservation, heritage, seascape, renewables, ports, shipping, tourism and recreation. We want to know from you how the Marine Plans and their policies are being used in the south, north east, north west, south east and south west marine plan areas.

• South Marine Plans Monitoring survey: https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2hHLX8F2syvXq2V
• Draft North East Marine Plans Baseline Monitoring survey: https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4PKez8AaiUTmsSN
• Draft North West Marine Plans Baseline Monitoring survey: https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_afnSsUo6Jn65A7r
• Draft South East Marine Plans Baseline Monitoring survey: https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6kURXPjSNIDY1Yp
• Draft South West Marine Plans Baseline Monitoring survey: https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8kb0DIvTHA0SwyF

Each survey may take up to one hour to complete, depending on your chosen sector and plan area, but note that you do not have to complete it in a single session, you can leave and return to it later (provided you use the same computer and you do not delete your browser history). Also, your activity may occur in an area which borders a neighbouring marine plan area, in which case we would greatly appreciate your responses to the surveys for both areas which apply to you. Please note we are unable to accept partially completed surveys, so please complete yours in full before submitting.

Surveys close: Tuesday 15th December 2020