Part 2Marine Planning
Marine plans
4Marine plans for Northern Ireland inshore region
1
The Department may prepare a marine plan for an area (a “marine plan area”) consisting of the whole or any part of the Northern Ireland inshore region.
2
Where a marine policy statement governs marine planning for the Northern Ireland inshore region, the Department must seek to ensure that every part of that region is within an area for which a marine plan is in effect.
3
A “marine plan” is a document which—
a
has been prepared and adopted for a marine plan area by the Department in accordance with Schedule 1,
b
states the policies of the relevant Northern Ireland departments (however expressed) for and in connection with the sustainable development of the area, and
c
states that it is a marine plan prepared and adopted for the purposes of this section.
4
A marine plan must identify (by means of a map or otherwise) the marine plan area for which it is a marine plan.
5
Unless relevant considerations indicate otherwise, a marine plan must be in conformity—
a
with any marine policy statement which governs marine planning for the marine plan area; and
b
in the case of a plan for part of the Northern Ireland inshore region, with any marine plan in effect for the whole of that region.
6
A marine plan must state whether it includes provision relating to retained functions.
7
A marine plan may also include statements or information relating to policies contained in the plan.
8
If to any extent a policy stated in a marine plan conflicts with any other statement or information in the plan, that conflict must be resolved in favour of the policy.
9
A marine plan comes into effect when it has been published by the Department in accordance with Schedule 1.
10
For the purposes of this Part a marine policy statement “governs marine planning” for an area if—
a
it has been adopted by the Department under Schedule 5 to the 2009 Act,
b
it has been published in accordance with paragraph 12 of that Schedule,
c
it has not been replaced or withdrawn, and
d
the Department has not withdrawn from it.
11
For the purposes of this Part “the relevant Northern Ireland departments” are—
a
the Department;
F1b
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F1c
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d
the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment; and
e
the Department for Regional Development.