Ports and Marinas
The coastline is vitally important, both in terms of its fragile environment and also the need for ports and marinas to be located in that environment.
The importance of ports to the national economy is recognised by government, and the need to achieve sustainable marine related development is therefore vital. This has been reflected by a number of recent legislative and policy initiatives, particularly the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
The unique nature of the marine environment has required a regulatory regime very different from the requirements of terrestrial development projects. It is vital that your lawyers have experience of promoting development through Harbour Revision Orders and marine licences and their relationship to planning consents. Because of the environmental sensitivity of many projects, the application of the Habitats Directive must be well-understood.
In addition to development projects, our lawyers advise on harbour regulation issues, in areas such as general directions and harbour by-laws, and will prosecute on behalf of harbour authorities in relation to regulatory offences.
