Activities and projects

Coastal planning study

Tamar Estuaries Consultative Forum (TECF) initiated the coastal planning study project in response to increasing development pressure on the inter-tidal areas of the estuaries and a need for improved consistency in making planning decisions with regard to coastal development and biodiversity.

The project’s aim is to ensure the estuaries' nature conservation values are recognised and protected by the planning system. The study considers the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of coastal development (shoreside, intertidal and subtidal) within the rivers Yealm, Plym, Tamar, Lyhner, and Tavy.

The project approach was to review the nature conservation interests of the estuary, to identify anticipated development pressures and their potential ecological impacts, and to provide guidance as to how the planning system can actively ensure that coastal development and biodiversity interests can be balanced.

You can download the full study and key guidance below:

Coastal planning study project report [1.4MB]

Coastal planning study key guidance [1.79MB]

We would greatly appreciate hearing your views on the document, particularly if you are involved in planning decision making of this kind. Please email us your comments.

Dredging protocol for the tamar estuaries

This project forms a central part of this year's work programme and aims to develop a dredging protocol, or set of guidelines for the tamar estuaries. The project aims to review and assess implications of the on-going process of dredging activity in the Plymouth Sound and Estuaries European Marine Site (EMS) and the tamar estuaries management area as a whole, identify and address any issues arising, and improve management efficiency of the dredging programme, without imposing undue burden on port and harbour operators. Importantly this project will assist in the identification of possible ecological issues associated with dredging, and deal with them in a rational and transparent manner.

The development of a dredging protocol for the tamar estuaries will provide guidelines and evidence to help determine future dredging proposals and applications. This will assist harbour and port authorities (and other competent authorities) in fulfilling their statutory obligations and minimise the delay and cost to port and marina operators in obtaining consents.

An integral part of developing a dredging protocol is to prepare a baseline document, describing the current and historical patterns of dredging in relation to the conservation status of the site/area. Much of this information is available from the Dredging Impacts Study, conducted by Plymouth Marine Laboratories in 2004.

The baseline document will serve as an important tool for future reviews and assessments, and will need to evolve and be updated as the estuary changes over time, whether as a result of natural or man made change.

The baseline document will provide an invaluable foundation for consistent and informed decision-making by all competent authorities in compliance with the requirements of the Conservation (Natural Habitat, &c.) Regulations 1994.

Marine protected areas project

The aim of this proposed project is to provide an opportunity to explore the potential for Marine Protected Areas (MPA) management in our local area, and draws no foregone conclusions that a protected area shall ultimately be implemented.

This project aims to:

• Provide understanding of the values of MPA as a management tool
• Engage communities and individuals in positive and proactive discussions
• Pull together local and scientific knowledge about the ecological values of our local areas and their current status of protection
• Identify sites that are currently under-protected and would benefit from MPA management based on existing evidence
• Identify a number of specific potential MPA sites based on agreed MPA objectives

Ultimately the project hopes to assist in the development of a management plan for MPA management and to implement the plan through a relevant management framework. Community groups are considered to be an essential and integral part of such a management framework.

This project reflects a number of initiatives that are currently being pursued at a international level (OSPAR - The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic), national level (Protected Areas Network) and regional level (Finding Sanctuary), and provides an opportunity to lead by example, by showcasing what can be achieved using a community based, community lead, and community driven approach to MPA management in the UK.

Estuaries and coastal education programme

Building on the network of coastal educators developed during the Splash 05 Tamar Coastal Festival, we aim to develop an estuaries and coastal education programme for schools. This project hopes to build on the existing resources that have already been developed by a number of organisations in the area, and to benefit from better communication and coordination between all those with similar interests.

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