18 Aug 2026
Photo by John Mark Strange The Welsh Government has granted Section 36 consent to the Llŷr Wind Farm, a floating offshore wind test and demonstration project in the Celtic Sea off Pembrokeshire, in what it describes as the first major offshore wind approval issued by the new Welsh administration. The consent, announced on 7 August, clears […]
03 Feb 2026
Photo by Waldemar Brandt The Scottish Government has published an updated Offshore Wind Policy Statement, raising its offshore wind ambition to up to 40 GW of new capacity by 2040, in addition to already operational or consented projects. The policy update, published on 28 January 2026, reaffirms Scotland’s commitment to delivering its existing project […]
25 Nov 2025
Photo by Jahanzeb Ahsan The Marine Management Organisation has published the East Marine Plan development engagement summary report, concluding a period of stakeholder consultation on draft policies for England’s first second-generation marine plan. The report details stakeholder insights on drafted plan policies and spatial prescription opportunities for the East Marine Plan. “Stakeholders were very knowledgeable and engaged, providing […]
21 Oct 2025
Photo by Red Morley Last-minute changes to the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill have sparked backlash from nature groups who have accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of removing environmental protections to secure growth headlines ahead of her budget. The amendments are designed to make it easier for developers to side-step environmental laws for major projects […]
30 Sep 2025
Photo by Kilian Murphy The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is implementing a comprehensive upgrade to its marine licensing service, moving away from the current marine case management system (MCMS) to a new modern platform offering long-term stability, enhanced security and improved user experience. The new service will be accompanied by end-to-end service improvements aimed at enhancing […]
06 May 2025
The Irish government has announced the start of work to prepare a National Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP). This follows the approval of the South Coast ORE DMAP by both houses of the Irish parliament in October 2024. “Having a single National DMAP will accelerate the process of site designation for offshore […]
11 Mar 2025
As a new Crown Estate Act moves ever closer to becoming a reality, the final Parliamentary debates and readings of the Bill threw up discussions focussing on marine planning, devolution and community benefits. Final amendments to the Bill – which aims to modernise the management and investment powers of the Crown Estate and give broader […]
17 Dec 2024
The Environmental Audit Committee of the UK Parliament is seeking views on the Government’s delivery of its environmental obligations under international marine treaties and the Government’s strategy for marine planning and protection. The United Nations’ (UN) 14th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) relates to the planet’s largest ecosystem, which refers to life below water. The 14th […]
