On this page, we’ll explain how the process works and the ways you can get involved.
Last updated: 2 July 2025
Marine planning has its very own system and framework, although it does share some similarities with town and country planning.
Marine planning is the management of activities within seas and around coastlines. In England and Wales, it was introduced by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. The need for marine planning came about as our seas became increasingly crowded, with competing demands on space for marine activities and protection measures. Marine planning was established to manage the use of our seas in the most sustainable way.
Take a look at this short animation for a simple overview of what marine planning is.
The Marine and Coastal Access Act requires planning authorities to produce a marine plan for their areas. The Welsh Ministers are the planning authority for marine planning in Wales. The Welsh National Marine Plan was published in 2019 by the Welsh Government, which covers the inshore (out to 12 nautical miles) and the offshore areas (12 to 200 nautical miles). Marine plans have a long-term (20 year) view of activities and are reviewed every three years.
The different stages and requirements of the marine planning process are outlined in the Welsh National Marine Plan (Annex 1, page 156) and Schedule 6 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
The UK Marine Policy Statement (MPS) is the framework for preparing marine plans and making decisions affecting the marine environment. The MPS was jointly adopted by the Secretary of State, Welsh Ministers, Scottish Ministers and the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland in 2011. The MPS and marine plans form a plan-led system for marine activities, in a similar way that Planning Policy Wales and local development plans do for land-based development.
Marine plans have to take many factors into account, including marine protected areas and duties upon the Welsh Government to achieve ‘good environmental status’, as set out in the UK Marine Strategy.
The Welsh Government has produced a series of webinars covering all aspects of marine planning and the Welsh National Marine Plan – watch them here.
The Welsh National Marine Plan contains plans and policies which aim to:
Support the Welsh Government’s vision for clean, healthy, safe and diverse seas
Guide future sustainable development
Support the growth of marine space and natural resources (’blue growth’)
Marine plans can also encourage local communities to get involved in planning, ensure that the environment is considered from the start and encourage nature friendly developments. They can also bring about economic benefits by making the most of growth and job opportunities.
The Welsh National Marine Plan should also be considered in planning applications for land-based developments – take a look at this infographic by the Welsh Government to find out more.
As marine plans are 20-year plans, it is important that they are regularly assessed. The Welsh Government must monitor and review its Plan at least every three years; they check that policies are still effective, and progress is being made to meet the objectives of the plan and the Marine Policy Statement. The Welsh National Marine Plan also includes a commitment to publish a report at least every six years (until 1 January 2030) on the preparation, adoption, and amendment of the Plan.
An effective time to get involved in marine planning is during the preparation and review of marine plans. As the Welsh National Marine Plan was published in 2019, the next opportunity for engaging in the plan process will be when it is reviewed or amended. At this point, the Welsh Government will produce a Statement of Public Participation (SPP), which will set out how they will involve the public in the review process. View the SPP for the Welsh National Marine Plan here.
For further information about opportunities for engagement, contact the Marine Planning team at marineplanning@gov.wales
To keep up to date with the latest information you can subscribe to the Government’s marine planning newsletter or view them online here.