The Crown Estate has commissioned the University of Exeter to conduct an evidence review of social impact assessments in the marine space to enhance understanding of how to deliver social value through its marine activities.

The review is a key stepping stone to building new data and evidence around how social, as well as economic and environmental value can be delivered as part of offshore leasing requirements.

Led by Dr Pamela Buchan, a marine social scientist at Exeter University, the review will consider evidence from research and industry to understand what is currently known about the social impacts of marine sectors and how these are being measured. It will also look for trends in social impact assessments, such as strengths and weaknesses in certain sectors, and aims, overall, to identify best practice for social impact assessment and the key gaps where more knowledge is needed.

Photo by Reegan Fraser

Dr Pamela Buchan, marine social scientist and ACCESS Network Leadership College Fellow, the University of Exeter, said:   “In the UK, impact assessments in marine sectors have a strong focus on environmental impacts and the socio-economic benefits of marine developments. However, both marine developments and their shoreside infrastructure can have a wide range of potential social impacts, particularly on their nearby coastal communities. These range from changes to land and seascapes, affecting how people feel about their place, health and wellbeing implications where access to the water or water quality are impacted, and onshore industrialisation such as ports and electricity substations.”

Evidence for the review will be drawn from several sources, including The Crown Estate’s own current processes and metrics for social impact evaluation and relevant reports. It will also draw on interdisciplinary academic literature considering the ability of marine spatial planning and decision-making to deliver positive social impact, as well as relevant grey literature from marine sectors.