Community engagement events for National Marine Plan 2: analysis and synthesis
This report presents findings and recommendations offered by contractors Howell Marine Consulting (HMC) to support the Marine Directorate in development of the National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2).
6 Recommendations
Drawing on feedback from community engagement events, this section presents recommendations to strengthen the proposed policies in the PPS, and suggests ways to improve future engagement.
6.1 Cultural heritage
Policy intent in PPS
Update the cultural heritage policy to include intangible heritage, with guidance on what is considered.
Does it have support?
Yes, feedback highlights the deep cultural and social connections of coastal communities to the sea. Many participants emphasised the importance of non-material values tied to the marine environment, reinforcing the need for intangible heritage to be included.
Recommendation
Develop clear and concise definitions for intangible heritage and provide detailed guidance on how it should be integrated into NMP2. Engage with expert stakeholders (e.g., historians, social scientists, and cultural experts) and local communities to co-create these definitions to ensure they reflect local values and practices.
6.2 Supporting island and coastal communities
Policy intent in PPS
Align NMP2 with the updated National Islands Plan, recognising local priorities and integrating community wellbeing into decision-making.
Does it have support?
Yes, feedback suggests support for this proposal. Attendees emphasised the need to distinguish between island and coastal communities and to integrate local needs and wellbeing into decision-making. The focus on socio-economic impacts and the mental/physical health benefits of coastal living resonates with feedback, reflecting the unique challenges faced by these communities.
Recommendation
Establish a structured and transparent community engagement process to ensure ongoing input from local communities into marine plan policy development. Include specific guidelines on how community needs and priorities will be assessed and integrated into the decision-making framework and provide opportunities for continuous feedback through the plan’s development, delivery, and revision.
6.3 Facilitating appropriate access, including recreation and tourism
Policy intent in PPS
Include a policy to improve access to the shore and sea, with a focus on lifeline services like ferries to support local economies and tourism.
Does it have support?
Yes, feedback suggests strong support for this proposal. Many attendees emphasised the need for better access to the marine environment, particularly in urban areas where access is often limited. Concerns about limited infrastructure were raised, aligning with the need for improved access and support for local economies.
Recommendation
Include a section in the policy dedicated to addressing the specific challenges of urban areas, such as congestion and limited space. Work with urban planners, local authorities, and infrastructure providers to identify and implement practical solutions for improving access to the sea in these areas.
6.4 Landscape / seascape
Policy intent in PPS
Include a policy to consider landscape and seascape impacts on decision-making, with a focus on their role in community wellbeing.
Does it have support?
Yes, there is general support for this proposal, particularly regarding the value placed on the aesthetic and experiential qualities of the coast. However, while attendees recognised the importance of landscape and seascape for wellbeing, the term ‘seascape’ itself may be confusing or unclear for some.
Recommendation
Develop a clear definition of ‘seascape’ and integrate it into the policy with supporting guidance on how to assess and mitigate visual impacts. Ensure that the policy includes practical methods for evaluating landscape and seascape quality and consult with local communities to ensure terminology resonates with their experiences and perceptions.
6.5 Regional variation
The findings from the community engagement events highlight the variation in concerns and priorities between the different regions in Scotland. While the need for early-engagement and community-informed decision making is highlighted in the PPS, there is a need to explicitly recognise regional variability, and the potential role regional marine planning can play in ensuring these regional differences can be integrated into decision making.
At the national-level scale of the NMP2, it is difficult to capture these variations and ensure community priorities are incorporated into high-level policies and objectives in a meaningful way.
Therefore, regional marine plans could play a vital role in ensuring decision making at the regional scale across Scotland is informed by community priorities and nested within the NMP framework.
Recommendation
Review how current draft regional marine plans incorporate community values, priorities, and wellbeing for their respective regions and consider how these can be best supported by a national framework. There is also potential to learn from the experience through regional marine planning to inform the most appropriate approach for community engagement in decision making across Scotland.
6.6 Future engagement
Continued community engagement and response to the issues raised will be important in the development of the NMP2, particularly as some attendees expressed scepticism about whether their views will be taken into consideration. A feedback loop that enables event attendees to clearly see how their input contributes towards the development of the NMP2 would help to encourage more positive future engagement, as well as help to build trust in decision-making. This could be in the form of a report or email sent to event attendees that highlights event findings, progress on NMP2 development, and any further opportunities to provide input into the NMP2 development process.
A notable finding from the community engagement events was that many people feel unqualified to contribute to the development of the NMP2. To address this concern, future engagement events could benefit from a clear ‘call to action’ that explicitly invites all members of the public to share their opinions on the future of Scotland's seas.
Recommendation
Ensure the purpose and expectations of a community engagement event are clearly publicised along with the event details, emphasising that the views of all community members are sought after and welcomed. Technical language should be avoided to ensure accessibility and inclusion.