http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/23/section/98Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009An Act to make provision in relation to marine functions and activities; to make provision about migratory and freshwater fish; to make provision for and in connection with the establishment of an English coastal walking route and of rights of access to land near the English coast; to enable the making of Assembly Measures in relation to Welsh coastal routes for recreational journeys and rights of access to land near the Welsh coast; to make further provision in relation to Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales; to make provision in relation to works which are detrimental to navigation; to amend the Harbours Act 1964; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-07-28Expert Participation2026-07-24 Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(2A)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(d)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(6)(a)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(f)(i)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(6)(a)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(f)(ii)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(6)(b) and wordLevelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(f)(iii)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 98(6)(ca)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(3)(a)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 98(6)(ha)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(3)(b)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 98(6)(hb)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(3)(c)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A 98(6) 107A 107B 108(2A)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(8)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 66(2)(c)The Marine Licensing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment etc.) Order 2026art. 4(5)art. 1(1) Part 4Chapter 4981The appropriate licensing authority for an area may make an order which—adesignates any of the delegable marine licensing functions which would (apart from any order under this section) be exercisable by or in relation to that authority or an enforcement authority for that area, andbprovides that those functions, instead of being so exercisable, are to be exercisable by or in relation to such person, acting on behalf of the licensing authority or (as the case may be) the enforcement authority, as is designated in the order.2The power to make an order under this section includes power to make provision in the order conferring on the person designated (“the delegate”), so far as acting on behalf of an enforcement authority, any power which the appropriate licensing authority may confer on an enforcement authority by an order under section 93 or 95 (fixed or variable monetary penalties).3An authority which makes an order under this section may do so only with the consent of the delegate.4The delegate—amust comply with the order, andbis to be taken to have all the powers necessary to do so.5In this section “delegable marine licensing functions” means—afunctions of a licensing authority under this Part, other than excepted functions;bfunctions of an enforcement authority under this Part.6The excepted functions are functions under—asection 66(3) (altering the list of licensable marine activities);bsection 67(2) (making regulations regarding the fee for an application);csection 69(6) (making regulations as to the procedure for applications);casection 72A(4) (making regulations regarding fees for monitoring, variation etc of licences for which the Welsh Ministers are the licensing authority);dsection 73 (making regulations regarding appeals against licensing decisions under section 71);esection 74(1) and (5) (making orders specifying activities which do not require a marine licence and consulting in relation to such orders);fsections 93 and 95 (making orders conferring powers to impose civil sanctions);gthis section and section 100;hsection 101(3) (making regulations regarding the register);hasection 107A(3) (making regulations regarding deposits payable on account of fees where the Welsh Ministers are the licensing authority);hbsection 107B(5) (making regulations regarding payment of fees and deposits where the Welsh Ministers are the licensing authority);isection 108 (making regulations regarding appeals against certain notices).S. 98 partly in force; s. 98 in force for specified purposes at Royal Assent see s. 324(1)(c)S. 98 in force at 6.4.2011 in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2011/556, art. 3(2)(a)S. 98(6)(ha)(hb) inserted (E.W.) (1.4.2017) by Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (anaw 3), ss. 80(b), 88(3)(c); S.I. 2017/504, art. 2Pt. 4 modified (22.1.2021) by The Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/1656), arts. 1, 31 (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 9 Pt. 5 para. 18)Pt. 4 modified (27.11.2025) by The Cory Decarbonisation Project Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1227), arts. 1, 42(1) (with Sch. 12)Pt. 4 modified (28.7.2025) by The Mona Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/870), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 37, 38, Sch. 10)Pt. 4 excluded (26.8.2015) by The Dogger Bank Teesside A and B Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1592), arts. 1, 8(7) (with arts. 40, 41)Pt. 4 modified (28.4.2025) by The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/468), arts. 1, 39 (with arts. 47, 48, Sch. 10)Pt. 4 modified (8.1.2026) by The Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1376), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 39, 40, Sch. 9)Pt. 4 applied (5.3.2022) by The Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/138), arts. 1, 32 (with arts. 41, 42, Sch. 16)Pt. 4 excluded (11.3.2015) by The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/318), arts. 1, 8(6) (with arts. 40, 41, Pt. 2 para. 4(2), Pt. 2 para. 4(3), Pt. 2 para. 19, Pt. 4 para. 3, Pt. 4 para. 4, Pt. 4 para. 16, Sch. 12 paras. 4, 9(2), 10)Pt. 4 modified (29.12.2022) by The Keadby 3 (Carbon Capture Equipped Gas Fired Generating Station) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/1396), arts. 1, 39 (with art. 32, Sch. 10 paras. 26(2), 68)Pt. 4 applied (1.1.2022) by The Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1414), arts. 1, 32 (with arts. 41, 42, Sch. 17 para. 66)Pt. 4 modified (23.12.2025) by The Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Generation Assets Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1366), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 9, 10)Pt. 4 modified (22.9.2025) by The Morgan Offshore Wind Project Generation Assets Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1012), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 9, 10)Pt. 4 modified (7.9.2016) by The Hornsea Two Offshore Wind Farm Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/844), arts. 1(2), 36 (with arts. 37, 38)Pt. 4 modified (15.9.2016) by The River Humber Gas Pipeline Replacement Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/853), arts. 1, 39 (with art. 43)S. 98(6)(ca) inserted (E.W.) (1.4.2017) by Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (anaw 3), ss. 80(a), 88(3)(c); S.I. 2017/504, art. 2Pt. 4: power to amend or modify conferred (12.2.2026) by Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 (c. 6), ss. 22(3), 32(1) (with s. 30)Pt. 4 modified (5.6.2026) by The Dogger Bank South East and West Offshore Wind Farms Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/577), arts. 1, 35 (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 15)Pt. 4 modified (5.6.2026) by The North Falls Offshore Wind Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/567), arts. 1, 35 (with arts. 44, 45, Sch. 14)