Recommendation 32

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted

This recommendation is beyond the remit of DESNZ. The following response has been provided by Defra. As mentioned in the government’s response to the Environment Audit Committee, Defra communicated what the Marine Spatial Prioritisation (MSPri) objectives are at the start of the programme. They were to optimise the use of the sea, maximise colocation and where necessary to prioritise the use of the sea. The programme has evolved since then, including starting to identify ways to improve colocation helping to make a more sustainable use of marine space. The MSPri process has more recently focused on providing a strategic steer to TCE on key marine interests related to potential future offshore wind development in the English sea. As suggested in the recommendation at paragraph 38, the guidance will help TCE in identifying suitable areas for future offshore wind lease areas which avoid the most environmentally sensitive areas (including birds) or areas which are important for other marine sectors and government priorities. It will also help to reduce clashes between future offshore wind projects and other users of the sea, including fisheries. This work has taken place prior to any formal leasing or planning process. It is designed to complement existing processes such as the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and marine planning. The next phase of MSPri will be to take forward the colocation workstream and continue to build on the steer given by government to TCE. This will include working with TCE following their stakeholder engagement over the summer of 2025. 34. There is a clear, recognised need for a more strategically coordinated approach to environmental impact assessment in the offshore wind sector. The UK government is taking a coordinated and strategic approach to managing the seabed and accelerating offshore wind deployment, while ensuring environmental protection and efficient use of marine space. Through the MSPri, we are identifying priority areas for seabed use in English waters. This spatial understanding will guide TCE’s refinement of future offshore wind leasing areas, helping to avoid the most environmentally sensitive locations and reduce conflicts with other key marine activities. Building on this, the SSEP will provide a GB-wide, long-term view of where and how electricity and hydrogen infrastructure—both generation and storage—can be developed. It will model a range of plausible futures, integrating environmental constraints and cross-sectoral demands on land and sea, ensuring that energy infrastructure planning aligns with broader spatial priorities. The SSEP will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment, a Habitats Regulations Assessment and a Marine Conservation Zone assessment. The MSPri and SSEP will build on the work of TCE’s Marine Delivery Routemap, published in September 2024, which adopts a Whole of Seabed approach to marine mapping and future leasing. This holistic framework supports a better understanding of the trade-offs and synergies across different marine uses. We will continue to work closely with TCE to ensure this evolving work creates a joined-up approach to sustainable offshore wind development. To address environmental challenges that can delay offshore wind projects, we are also implementing the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package (OWEIP), led by the Defra. This package introduces strategic reforms to the environmental assessment process, including the creation of a Marine Recovery Fund, a library of strategic compensation measures, and new environmental standards. These measures will streamline consenting, reduce delays, and provide developers with greater flexibility, all while safeguarding marine ecosystems.