Spatial planning and Cultural Heritage
To position the protection of cultural heritage in maritime spatial developments and to provide initiators beforehand with an idea of whether they will encounter archaeological values in their project, it is important to ensure that sufficient information on archaeological values is available.
Information on wrecks is available from Geoweb, to which the wreck databases of Rijkswaterstaat, the Hydrographic Service and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) are linked. In conjunction with Rijkswaterstaat, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands has commissioned the production of a policy advice map for the North Sea’s submerged archaeological landscapes. This map will comprise landscape zoning for the North Sea accompanied by (geo-archaeological) research guidelines for each zone for the purposes of EIA procedures and permit issuance. The database with historic ship sites will also be updated by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. Both products will promote better consideration of archaeological interests within spatial planning and the permit procedure.