DORSET has won £1.5 million of European funding for its coastal communities and maritime sector. It successfully bid for the backing for an innovative marine planning project which will include a close look at how the Dorset coast might support renewable energy sources such as wind or wave farms.
C-SCOPE has been developed by the Dorset Coast Forum and its partners, the Belgian ICZM Co-ordination Centre, to build on the county’s role as host of the 2012 Olympic sailing events.
It aims to provide the county with economic, social and environmental benefits with a comprehensive project to help manage the many current and future pressures facing the Dorset coast.
These range from new developments and climate change to competition for space between interests such as shipping, commercial fishing, recreation and renewable energy.
C-SCOPE has three elements including a pilot marine plan for specific areas of the Dorset and Belgian coasts.
Dorset’s pilot area stretches from Durlston Head to Portland Bill including the area for the 2012 Olympic sailing events.
Other elements include improvements to planning decision-making in the marine environment and a web-based tool called Coastal Explorer which will deliver all types of marine and coastal information through a series of hi-tech access points along the Dorset coast.
Local people and visitors will be able to use Coastal Explorer to access information from real-time data on sea conditions and weather and webcam images from along the coast, plus information on coastal walks and marine recreational facilities.
Forum chairman Bob Huggins said: “We are looking forward to having a pilot marine plan for Dorset that is put together by members of the Forum and the coastal community.
“We want to share all of our members’ knowledge with the local community and visitors to Dorset and will endeavour to do this through Coastal Explorer Interactive.”
County council cabinet member for the environment Coun Hilary Cox said: “Everyone is absolutely delighted with this news which is a great result.”
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