1. Capacity to implement; experiences
from the Dorset C‐SCOPE Project
Tuesday May 15th, 2012
Ness Smith
C‐SCOPE Project Officer

2. A caveat… or maybe some
encouragement!
The C‐SCOPE Project team started
out as marine scientists, not
planners, economists or social
scientists…

3. Brief introduction to C‐SCOPE
How the MSP process has
changed organisational capacity
Role of stakeholders within the
MSP process
Did we achieve our goals and
objectives?
Conclusions

4. Introduction to C‐SCOPE

5. Rhode Island ≈ 3,140 km2
Dorset ≈ 2,653 km2

6. C‐SCOPE Project Partners
Dorset Coast Forum (UK)
Coordination Centre on
Integrated Coastal Zone
Management (Belgium)

7. What is C‐SCOPE?
Combining Sea and Coastal
Planning in Europe
Three year project, part funded by
the European Union Interreg IV A ‘2
seas programme’ and Defra
(Department for Environment,
fisheries and rural affairs) worth €1.8
million. Completion June 2012
Collaboration between Dorset
Coast Forum and the Coordination
Centre for Integrated Coastal Zone
Management in Belgium.

8. C‐SCOPE has three key activities in Dorset:
1. Creating a pilot Marine Plan for a 1000 km2 area off the Dorset
Coast referred to as a Marine Management Area (MMA).
2. Developing a GIS‐based tool (Coastal Explorer Planning) for
planners, developers, consultees….
3. Producing iCoast, a map‐based website for locals and tourists to
access coastal and marine information, and which encourages
sustainable use of the coast.

9. How the MSP process has changed
organisational capacity

10. Building capacity
DCF is a partnership organisation, hosted by the local government authority. It has NO
statutory remit
Core coastal policy team within Dorset County Council which developed the project bid.
The project staff were recruited specifically, and will be leaving once it is complete.
Worked closely with DCC teams including Spatial Planning, Minerals & Waste, Transport
Planning, Environment, AONB, Jurassic Coast WHS, Historic Environment
Knowledge and understanding on marine and coastal issues within these teams has
significantly increased; all now thinking far more about the marine environment in policy
development.
Confident that DCC will have the capacity to work effectively with the Marine
Management Organisation once planning in the Southern Marine Plan area commences.

12. Dorset Coastal Planning
Key output to help further the
capacity for implementing marine
planning in Dorset
GIS‐based tool which will enable
terrestrial and marine planners to access
over 300 data sets on current uses,
environment and policy
Provides planning guidance and policy
summaries for terrestrial and marine
environments
Also links to the marine plan policy

20. Funding
Project was funded by the EU, with match funding from Defra, Natural England,
Borough and District Councils and local NGOs. Collaborative working ensured that we
could use the Doris seabed mapping project as income‐in‐kind; greatly increased funds
Project funding runs out in June. Local Government funding has been severely cut
following the 2008 recession, and there will be no funds from within Dorset County
Council to implement the marine plan
However, DCC, DCF and other partnerships now more confident in applying for funding,
and the legacy of C‐SCOPE means they are more likely to be successful. Currently waiting
to hear if we’ve been successful in three EU bids which will help to build on our work.

21. Building capacity
Key messages
• Communication and education
within your organisation are
essential.
• If employing new staff, ensure they
are fast learners, and adaptable
• Use your stakeholders, they will
often know more than you!
• Use local universities (but with
care) MSc students can deliver high
quality outputs.
• Well‐designed GIS tools can help
planners to make faster, more
informed decisions

22. Role of stakeholders within
the MSP process

23. Dorset Coast Forum
Voluntary partnership of 243 organisations ≈ 650 individual members;
include government departments and agencies, local authorities,
commercial organisations and the voluntary sector/NGOs.
Decisions are based on consensus and all partners are treated as equals
The overriding aim of the Forum is to promote a sustainable approach to
the management, use and development of Dorset’s coastal zone, which
will ensure that its inherent natural and cultural qualities are maintained
and enhanced for the benefit of future generations
Successes include Dorset Coast Strategy, World Heritage Status for the
Jurassic Coast.

24. Stakeholder Participation
Working group to deliver MSP; pro‐active –
work is expected! Group agreed to their role as
set out in the Terms of Reference
Group not paid, or given expenses
Is not (and can not) be fully representative
Interactions matrix – face‐to‐face interviews
with 50+ key stakeholders
120 people had input on Seascape Character
Assessment at consultation
Wider engagement includes workshops and
talks at community level. Over 160 people
attended community roadshows…

25. Dorset Role
MSP Working
Natural England NDPB reporting to Defra, responsible for the natural environment, including the
coast and sea
Group Members
English Heritage NDPB reporting to Defra, responsible for national heritage
Environment Agency NDPB reporting to Defra, responsible for areas such as flood risk, coastal
protection and water quality
Purbeck Heritage Committee Partnership working to protect and enhance Purbeck Heritage
Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Team responsible for conserving and enhancing the AONB protected landscape
Beauty (AONB) Team
Jurassic Coast World Heritage Team Team responsible for managing the World Heritage Site
Dorset County Council Planning Local authority responsible for public services, including county planning
Department
Weymouth & Portland Borough Local authority covering more local services
Council
Purbeck District Council Local authority covering more local services
C‐Waves Diving Ltd Scuba‐diving company and charity teaching local school children to dive
Cefas Applied marine science centre and NDPB reporting to Defra
University of Plymouth Marine research university
Portland Harbour Authority Ltd Private Port with statutory powers including the authority to make bye‐laws
The Crown Estate Manages property owned by the Crown, including almost all of the UK’s seabed
Dorset Wildlife Trust Conservation charity with over 25,000 members. Run the ‘Living Seas’ campaign
South Coast Fishermen’s Council Association providing a national voice and advice for fishermen on the South
coast
Lulworth Estate Private Landowner
National Trust Major national charity owning over 700 miles of the UK coastline
Nautical Archaeology Society Charity to further interest in underwater cultural heritage
DCF/C‐SCOPE Project officers Team responsible for delivery of the C‐SCOPE project

26. Stakeholder Participation
Group met a total of eight times over three years and was involved in every stage
of marine plan development
With the exception of the Sustainability Appraisal workshop meetings were led by
the C‐SCOPE team, but not formally facilitated; this was again possible because of
the relationships and trust already existing within DCF.
Stakeholders from the Group were also engaged on a one‐to‐one basis where
necessary; for instance several meetings were held with Portland Harbour Authority
Ltd to ensure integration between its numerous Port plans and strategies and the C‐
SCOPE Marine Plan

27. MSP Working Group meetings
Date Purpose
August 2009 Discussed the vision, scope and early objectives of the marine plan
November Reviewed HLMOs and world‐wide marine plan examples
2009
February Reviewed draft objectives and conducted a workshop to identify current
2010 issues, forces for change and opportunities
May 2010 Discussed structure of marine plan and how objectives could be
expressed spatially
October Reviewed first draft of the policy framework
2010
May 2011 Reviewed the evidence base and high level alternatives for Sustainability
Appraisal
October Sustainability Appraisal Workshop
2011
March 2012 Reviewed consultation responses

28. Organisations interviewed for the Interactions Matrix
Angling Trust (Wessex Division) Portland Harbour Authority Limited
British Holiday & Home Parks Association (Southern Branch) Powerboat Training UK
British Mountaineering Council Regen South West
Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Chamber of Shipping Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Dave Gibson Dean & Reddyhoff Marinas
Defence Estates Safeguarding (Ministry of Defence) RYA / Yacht Clubs of Weymouth
Dorset and East Devon Marine and Beach Litter Group Second Wind Watersports Limited
Dorset AONB SGL Fishing Limited
Dorset Countryside Rangers (Dorset County Council) South Coast Fishermen’s Council
Dorset County Council (Historic Environment, Economic South West Fish Producers Organisation limited
Development, Natural Environment Teams) South West Inshore Fishermen's Association
Dorset Wildlife Trust Sunseeker International
Environment Agency The Weymouth and Portland Kite Surfing Club
Isle of Purbeck Sub‐Aqua Club Wessex Surf Club
Jurassic Coast World Heritage Team Wessex Water
Lulworth Estate Weymouth and Portland Borough Council (Economic
Marinelife Development, Beach Management, Weymouth Harbour)
Maritime and Coastguard Agency Weymouth & Portland Licenced Skippers Association
Marshes Boats Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy
National Trust Weymouth Angling Centre
Natural England Weymouth Rowing Club
Poole Harbour Commissioners

29. Community Roadshows
Six key communities within the MSP area;
160 attendees
Asked for their vision for the Dorset Coast in
2030…
… as well as information on
activities/management issues/solutions
This information helped to inform/reinforce
some marine plan policies, and feed into codes
of conduct for the interactive website

32. Challenges/issues
Marine planning is a process that requires specialist knowledge in many different fields, as well as
local knowledge and data which might not be available at a national scale; yet most marine
planners would be considered to be generalists. Stakeholders are therefore essential to help
bridge some of these knowledge and skill gaps. We relied on input from government
departments, scientific bodies, NGOs and local working people.
Non‐statutory plan
• A major stakeholder, with both statutory responsibilities and significant financial interests in the
Marine Management Area, considered withdrawing from the project as they believed marine
planning should be left to the Marine Management Organisation. Although they remained actively
engaged with the planning process, they would not endorse the marine plan.
• Project officers feel that some stakeholders did not engage with the project because they believe
it will have no real influence on their activities or on formal procedures
Attendance
Varied over the course of the project. Stakeholders tended to ‘dip in and out’ of participation
according to their sectoral interests, time and how much an issue affected them – can prove
difficult if their expertise is needed

33. Have we achieved our MSP
goals and objectives?…

34. Yes… but not without many challenges along the way….!
Whilst there are common elements, each marine plan area will require a
different approach tailored to the local situation and scale and this will almost
inevitably lead to unexpected consequences
The C‐SCOPE project spanned a period of great change for national marine
management; the passing of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, the
vesting of the Marine Management Organisation in April 2010 and the
commencement of marine planning in April 2011.
New government, many changes in the national planning regime…
… which all led to many new elements of the project
Workload almost double that anticipated. With a team of two full‐time project
officers, a part‐time assistant and approximately one day a week from the
Coastal Policy Manager.

35. Key messages
1. Do not underestimate the amount of time or energy this process takes
2. Plan your planning meticulously; but be prepared to be flexible if something
doesn’t work (we were not so good on the former, but better at the latter!)
3. Be prepared for the unexpected. It will happen!
4. You will always need more money than you have available. Prioritise the
essential elements of the planning process, and accept that you may have to
drop the ‘niceties’
5. Accept the limitations; you will always want better data and more
information, but sometimes you just have to go for it!

36. With special thanks to our funding partners
and all our coastal stakeholders
ness.smith@dorsetcc.gov.uk
k.buchan@dorsetcc.gov.uk (after June 2012)