The Detailed Plan

Once an activity has been assigned to a Relevant Authority (such as a harbour authority) as a management responsibility, they need to describe how they currently manage the activity. I know from experience that it is often the case that officials carry out the management tasks without writing them down. It is experience and judgement that is handed down. Unfortunately, we live in an age of transparency, and it has become necessary for these things to be recorded. What the management plan should articulate with regard to each management activity is

–	purpose of the activity

–	statutory rights and duties

–	current management practice

–	geographic scope of mgt (incl zoning if used)

–	current consultation mechanisms

–	formal consents required (if any)

–	current byelaw structure affecting the activity

–	emergency procedures

–	proposals for measuring activity level (‘Surveillance Data’)

There may also be a reference to an existing publication by the Relevant Authority, for example, the Environment Agency’s Local Environment Action Plan; or perhaps the non-statutory Shoreline Management Plan

Once each Authority has produced this statement, the process of integration and the search for consistency can begin. Moreover, the task of environmental bodies, including English Nature has been made possible because they have sufficient data to seek changes in management practice, but they must also accept the duty to justify such requests with evidence.