Devon County Council recognises the importance of the coast and seas around Devon to its communities. It is only by careful and informed planning and management that we will be able to use these environments to our benefit in the long term and not degrade them. We wish to support discussion, leading to action, with key players here in Devon and wider afield where these will underpin the viability of a rich, dynamic, diverse and productive maritime environment for the long-term.

Background

Devon County Council has prepared a series of Role and Action Programmes.These set out a strategy for delivering the statutory duties and discretionary services of the County Council under the themes of landscape, biodiversity, tourism, maritime and historic environments.They will establish five-year agendas and their action programmes will be reviewed on an annual basis.The planning and management of activity in the maritime environment is shared by many organisations and needs to take account of community and user needs, the sustainable economic development of the coast and environmental factors both natural and historic. Devon County Council has an important role to play. It is the purpose of this document to record this role, state the relevant policies and to commit the Council to a continued programme of action. Recognising the strength of partnership, there is much to be achieved by working with others. The initial draft version of this document was produced in May 2002 and was circulated for public consultation to unitary and district authorities, parish councils, statutory organisations and interest groups. This final version has been amended in the light of these consultation responses.

Please see the Coasts Action Plan (1.22MB - pdf help), Devon 2001 - State of the Coast (3.98MB - pdf help) and the Maritime Role and Action Programme - Annual Report (181KB - pdf help). To order copies of the Coasts Action Plan online please select the Maritime Role and Action Programme order form.

Also on devon.gov.uk

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