Applicant's Comments on Responses to the Examining Authority's Written
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Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm Applicant's Comments on Responses to the Examining Authority's Written Questions Applicant: Norfolk Boreas Limited Document Reference: ExA.WQ-1.D3.V1 Deadline 3 Date: December 2019 Revision: Version 1 Author: Royal HaskoningDHV Photo: Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm Date Issue No. Remarks / Reason for Issue Author Checked Approved 16/12/2019 01D First draft for Norfolk Boreas Limited Review VF / WBD / JL / JT / VR JL RHDHV 18/12/2019 02D Second draft for Norfolk Boreas Limited VF / WBD / JL / JT / VR JL Review RHDHV 19/12/2019 01F Final for Deadline 3 Submission BT JL JL Applicant’s Comments on Responses to the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm ExA.WQR.D3.V1 Examining Authority’s Written Questions December 2019 Page i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.1 The Applicants Responses to ExA’s First Written Questions with regard to the Norfolk Boreas application ............................................................................ 1 1 Archaeology and Heritage Assets .................................................................. 2 1.0 Offshore and intertidal archaeology and cultural heritage ............................. 2 1.1 Onshore archaeology .................................................................................... 6 1.2 Onshore heritage assets ................................................................................ 7 2 Biodiversity, Biological Environment and Ecology ........................................ 12 2.0 General ...................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Offshore benthic and marine mammals ...................................................... 18 2.2 Onshore ecology ......................................................................................... 19 2.3 Onshore ornithology ................................................................................... 21 3 Compulsory Acquisition .............................................................................. 23 3.0 Compulsory Acquisition .............................................................................. 23 4 Cumulative effects of other proposals ......................................................... 24 4.0 General cumulative effects, including phasing ............................................. 24 4.1 Onshore cumulative effects of other proposals (construction) ..................... 29 5 Development Consent Order and Deemed Marine Licences......................... 35 5.0 General ...................................................................................................... 35 5.1 Articles ....................................................................................................... 36 5.2 SCHEDULE 1 PART 1: Authorised Development ............................................ 39 5.3 SCHEDULE 1 PART 3: Requirements ............................................................. 39 5.4 OTHER REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................. 59 5.5 SCHEDULES 9 to 13: Deemed Marine Licences ............................................. 62 5.6 SCHEDULE 15: ARBITRATION RULES ............................................................ 64 5.7 SCHEDULE 16: PROCEDURE FOR DISCHARGE OF REQUIREMENTS ................. 65 5.8 CONSENTS, LICENCES AND OTHER AGREEMENTS ......................................... 65 6 Fishing ........................................................................................................ 68 6.0 Fishing ........................................................................................................ 68 7 Grid connection .......................................................................................... 71 7.0 Grid Connection .......................................................................................... 71 8 Habitats Regulation Assessment ................................................................. 73 Applicant’s Comments on Responses to the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm ExA.WQR.D3.V1 Examining Authority’s Written Questions December 2019 Page ii 8.0 Habitats Regulation Assessment ................................................................. 73 8.1 Broadland SPA and Ramsar ......................................................................... 76 8.2 River Wensum SAC ..................................................................................... 76 8.3 Norfolk Valley Fens SAC .............................................................................. 78 8.4 River Wensum SAC, Norfolk Valley Fens SAC and The Broads SAC ................ 78 8.5 Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton SAC ............................................... 80 8.6 Offshore ornithology .................................................................................. 82 8.7 Alde-Ore Estuary SPA .................................................................................. 85 8.8 Alde-Ore Estuary SPA and Flamborough and Filey Coast SPA ....................... 86 8.9 Greater Wash SPA and Outer Thames Estuary SPA ...................................... 87 8.10 Flamborough and Filey Coast SPA ............................................................... 90 8.11 Marine Mammals ....................................................................................... 95 8.12 Benthic Ecology .......................................................................................... 97 9 Landscape and Visual Effects ..................................................................... 101 9.0 The Applicant’s landscape and visual assessment ...................................... 101 9.1 The Applicant’s visual assessment ............................................................. 103 9.2 Alternatives considered ............................................................................ 106 9.3 Landscape effects ..................................................................................... 116 9.4 Visual effects ............................................................................................ 120 9.5 Outline Landscape and Ecological Management Strategy (OLEMS) ............ 122 9.6 Good design ............................................................................................. 125 10 Marine and Coastal processes ................................................................... 127 10.0 Marine and Coastal processes ................................................................... 127 11 Navigation ................................................................................................ 128 11.0 Marine Navigation and Shipping ............................................................... 128 11.1 Aviation and Radar ................................................................................... 129 12 Onshore construction effects .................................................................... 132 12.0 Cable corridor and ducting ........................................................................ 132 12.1 Mobilisation areas .................................................................................... 133 12.2 Noise and Vibration .................................................................................. 135 13 Socio-economic effects ............................................................................. 142 13.0 Skills and Employment Strategy ................................................................ 142 Applicant’s Comments on Responses to the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm ExA.WQR.D3.V1 Examining Authority’s Written Questions December 2019 Page iii 13.1 Jobs .......................................................................................................... 143 13.2 Tourism .................................................................................................... 144 13.3 Land Use and Agriculture .......................................................................... 145 13.4 Public Health ............................................................................................ 145 13.5 Other offshore industries and activities..................................................... 146 14 Traffic and Transportation ........................................................................ 147 14.0 Traffic and Transport ................................................................................ 147 15 Water Matters .......................................................................................... 165 15.0 Water Matters .......................................................................................... 165 16 General and cross topic questions ............................................................. 166 16.0 General .................................................................................................... 166 16.1 Environmental Statement ......................................................................... 166 16.2 Ground conditions, contaminated land and ground and surface water ...... 169 Applicant’s Comments on Responses to the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm ExA.WQR.D3.V1 Examining Authority’s Written Questions December 2019 Page iv Glossary of Acronyms AC Alternating Current ADD Acoustic Deterrent Device ADR Air Defence Radar AEoI Adverse Effect on Integrity AEZ Archaeological Exclusion Zone ALO Agricultural Liaison Officer ATC Automatic Traffic Counters AOD Above Ordnance Datum BAP Biodiversity Action Plan BAT Best Available Technique BDMPS Biologically Defined Minimum Population Scales BPM Best Practicable