National Marine Plan User Training Session (For Government Departments)

📢 Please reserve a place to attend this session.

Did you know you may have a statutory obligation to consider Marine Plans under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 for activity that may impact our coasts and seas?

The plans are a guide for developers, planning authorities, other decision-makers and stakeholders to enable the right activities to happen in the right place and in the right way, placing sustainable development at the centre of all decisions.

Join us and book your place today on one of our free online or in person marine plan implementation training sessions. These sessions will offer a great opportunity for you and your colleagues to learn more about the marine planning process and the statutory requirements of Marine Plans.

Please read the description below for this particular in person session. This session is suitable for those who work for Government Departments and will focus on marine planning at a national level, rather than within a specific marine plan area.

The Marine Plan user training session is an introduction to marine planning.

This session will cover the basics to marine planning such as:

• What is marine planning

• Statutory nature of marine plans

• Introducing the new Marine Plan Policy Assessment

There will also be discussions and an interactive session known as the Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Challenge game, along with tea, coffee and some lunch. The MSP game is an optional extra during the second half of the day, which you will have the opportunity to book onto when reserving your ticket for the session (more details below).

If you require any further information, please contact the planning team at

Marine Spatial Planning Challenge Game

The MSP Challenge game gives you the chance to explore conflicts and resolutions within the marine space. These tailored training sessions focus on specific sectors or scenarios, with participants role-playing as different marine sectors. This exercise involves translating complex aims, negotiating with other marine sectors and identifying opportunities for coexistence and sustainable development. Excellent for those new to marine planning and experienced policy practitioners, an MSP Challenge game session is a good opportunity for knowledge and team building/networking.

Please see the dates and times for other locations and online sessions below:

In person sessions:

North West – 19th November 2024, Lancaster, 9:00-14:00

The Borough (pub/restaurant)

3 Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

Register here for Lancaster.

North East - 12th November 2024, South Shields, 9:00 -17:00

THE WORD

Market Place, South Shields, NE33 1JF

Register here for South Shields.

East - 26th November 2024, Norwich, 9:00-17:00

The Kings Centre

63-75 Kings Street, Norwich, NR1 1PH

Register here for Norwich.

South East - 20th November 2024, Chatham, 9:00-17:00

Platform 26

26 Railway Street, Chatham, ME4 4JT

Register here for Chatham.

South - 12th November 2024, Portsmouth, 9:00-17:00

Portsmouth Guildhall

Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AB

Register here for Portsmouth.

South West - 21st November 2024, Plymouth, 9:00-17:00

Copthorne Hotel

Armada Way, Plymouth, PL1 1AR

Register here for Plymouth.

Online Sessions:

These online sessions are for anyone interested in more specific topics in relation to marine planning.

Session 1: Marine Plan Policy Assessment (multiple dates)

The MMO had made enhancements to the marine licensing application form to include the marine plan policy assessment. Join our session where we run through the assessment, looking at what aspects applicants need to consider in their application involving marine plan policies and what decision-makers need to consider in their decisions involving marine plans. While focussed on marine licensing, the training provided on marine plan policy assessment is applicable to any authorisation under s58(1) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (eg applications to Local Planning Authorities for a planning consents).

Register here for Session 1.

Session 2: Marine and Land-use Planning (multiple dates)

The marine planning team will discuss marine and terrestrial integration, looking at:

• The crossover of marine and land-use planning and what this means

• Coastal Concordat

• Local plan development and marine plan consideration within this. Aligning marine plan policies with terrestrial plans and policies. Consultation on local plan development.

• Best practice in integrating marine and land-use planning.

Register here for Session 2.

Session 3: Guidance and Resources (multiple dates)

We will share with you our updated and new guidance materials, plus the tools we have available for you to use when following the marine planning process including use of Explore Marine Plans.

Register here for Session 3.

If you require any further information or cannot access our other events via the links above, please contact the planning team at

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Thistle London Holborn, 36-37 Bloomsbury Way, London, United Kingdom