CO7 Criteria for Development in the Inter-Tidal Zone Policy
Proposals for structures in the Coastal Zone, part or all of which are below the High Water Mark, other than for coastal protection and sea defence works, will be permitted subject to the following criteria:
(i) the proposal requires a location on or near the foreshore or in coastal waters;
(ii) the proposal should not interfere with navigation in the Dee Estuary or Mersey Estuary or along the North Wirral Foreshore, nor prejudice the operation of commercial fisheries;
(iii) impacts on sedimentary movement within the same sedimentary cell have been examined and minimised;
(iv) the proposal does not reduce the effectiveness or impede the maintenance of sea defence or coastal protection structures and does not increase the risk of flooding or coastal erosion elsewhere;
(v) the proposal will not adversely affect coastal and marine nature conservation or earth science, archaeology, landscape character or visual quality;
(vi) public access is preserved or enhanced unless this would be impractical; and
(vii) any associated on-shore facilities satisfy the requirements of Policy CO1 and Policy CO2.
The Local Planning Authority will also have regard to possible cumulative impacts resulting from the combination of the proposal with other existing or proposed development in the Coastal Zone.
Reasoned justification :
20.35 Policy CO7 is intended to cover development in the inter-tidal zone such as slipways, jetties, piers and outfalls. The key additional criteria relate to the need to ensure that navigation and the operation of commercial fisheries is not impeded and that the impact on sedimentary movement is considered. New development requiring direct access to the water should normally be located near existing facilities. Facilities in other locations will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances, subject to any proposal satisfying the requirements of Policy CO1 and Policy CO2.