Abstract
The guidance documents are intended to be available for regulators and advisors as they carry out their decision-making and for developers and consultants as they prepare consenting and licensing applications. This country-specific document presents an overview of regulations relevant for marine renewable energy development in Scotland from pre-application, through to application and post-consent and is intended mainly for developers and consultants. It is not intended to replace any formal guidance or prescribe action, but rather provide a starting point for understanding the key requirements of the regulatory framework. This document is intended to be read in conjunction with the background document.
In Scottish waters a marine license must be obtained in order to undertake activities to develop a marine renewable energy (MRE) site. The consenting process in Scotland is dependent on the generation capacity of the proposed project and whether it is located in Scottish inshore or offshore waters. Marine licences are issued by the Marine Scotland – Licensing Operations Team (MS-LOT), on behalf of Scottish Ministers. In Scotland, the foreshore and seabed out to a distance of 12 nm are presumed to belong to The Crown, with management of this resource being the responsibility of Crown Estate Scotland.