Coastal Consents

It just is not simple! Below high water, you cannot go to one single authority and ‘get a consent’. You will some or all of the following consents:

Planning permission Local Authority
FEPA Licence DEFRA
Land Drainage Consent EA
Coast Protection Act Consent DfT
Harbour Authority Consent Harbour Authority
Waste management Licence EA
Discharge Consent EA
Others e.g. Listed buildings, Crown Estate,
various fisheries
consents

Failure at any one hurdle means the project cannot proceed. In the Solent, all projects are guided by the Habitats Regulations, whether or not the project is in a protected zone, so the advice of English Nature (and, to a lesser extent the Environment Agency) is required by all the bodies listed above in reaching their decision.

It is a muddled, inefficient process. Fortunately a government team, led by DfT, is looking at ways of simplifying the situation. Big companies, like ABP, can bring enough resources to bear to get through the process, but it can be very daunting for a small yacht club, or a small boatyard.

By far the best description of the consents process in the coastal zone has been prepared by the Solent Forum, and is available on their website.