Rampion Offshore Wind Farm – Scoping Report

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Rampion Offshore Wind Farm – Scoping Report Rampion Offshore Wind Farm – Scoping Report SEPTEMBER 2010 Robin Rigg Wind Farm (for illustrative purposes only). E.ON Climate and Renewables. www.rsk.co.uk E.ON Climate and Renewables Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Scoping Report RSK general notes Project No: P41318 Title: Rampion Offshore Wind Farm – Scoping Report Client: E.ON Climate and Renewables Issue Date: September 2010 Revision: Rev02-Final Issuing Office: Helsby Authorised by: Project Manager Date: 9 September 2010 Authorised by: Project QA Rep Date: 9 September 2010 RSK Environment Ltd (RSK) has prepared this report for the sole use of the client, showing reasonable skill and care, for the intended purposes as stated in the agreement under which this work was completed. The report may not be relied upon by any other party without the express agreement of the client and RSK. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the professional advice included in this report. Where any data supplied by the client or from other sources have been used it has been assumed that the information is correct. No responsibility can be accepted by RSK for inaccuracies in the data supplied by any other party. The conclusions and recommendations in this report are based on the assumption that all relevant information has been supplied by those bodies from whom it was requested. No part of this report may be copied or duplicated without the express permission of RSK and the party for whom it was prepared. Where field investigations have been carried out, these have been restricted to a level of detail required to achieve the stated objectives of the work. This work has been undertaken in accordance with the Quality Management System of RSK Environment Ltd. RSK Environment Ltd i RSK/HE/P41318/03/Zone 6 Scoping Report Final Rev02.doc E.ON Climate and Renewables Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Scoping Report TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 7 1.1 This Document................................................................................................. 7 1.2 Overview of the Proposed Development ........................................................... 7 1.3 Introduction to E.ON Climate and Renewables ................................................. 8 1.4 Consenting Process ......................................................................................... 9 1.5 Requirement for Environmental Impact Assessment ....................................... 10 1.6 The Scoping Process ..................................................................................... 10 1.7 Stakeholder Consultation................................................................................ 11 1.8 Document Structure........................................................................................ 11 2 THE PROJECT........................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Need for Renewable Energy........................................................................... 12 2.2 Project Description – Offshore Elements......................................................... 13 2.2.1 Wind Turbines...........................................................................................13 2.2.2 Foundations ..............................................................................................14 2.2.3 Offshore Substations.................................................................................16 2.2.4 Inter-array Cables .....................................................................................17 2.2.5 Export Cables ...........................................................................................17 2.2.6 Landfall .....................................................................................................17 2.3 Onshore Elements.......................................................................................... 18 2.3.1 Onshore Cables ........................................................................................18 2.3.2 Onshore Substation...................................................................................19 2.4 Construction Programme................................................................................ 19 2.5 Operational Phase.......................................................................................... 20 2.6 Decommissioning........................................................................................... 20 3 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT ................................................................................. 22 3.1 Planning Context............................................................................................ 22 3.1.1 Regional Spatial Strategy ..........................................................................24 3.1.2 Local Planning Policies..............................................................................24 3.2 Habitats Regulations ...................................................................................... 26 3.3 Other Key Consents ....................................................................................... 27 3.3.1 Marine Licence..........................................................................................27 3.3.2 Planning Permission..................................................................................27 4 EIA PROCESS ........................................................................................................... 28 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 28 4.2 Approach to EIA ............................................................................................. 28 4.3 Data Gathering............................................................................................... 30 4.4 Scoping.......................................................................................................... 30 4.5 Assessment ................................................................................................... 30 4.5.1 Overview...................................................................................................30 4.5.2 Assessment Criteria ..................................................................................31 4.6 Mitigation Measures and Enhancement .......................................................... 32 4.7 Cumulative, Secondary and Indirect Impacts .................................................. 33 ii RSK Environment Ltd RSK/HE/P41318/03/Zone 6 Scoping Report Final Rev02.doc E.ON Climate and Renewables Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Scoping Report 4.8 Alternatives .................................................................................................... 33 5 OFFSHORE EIA TOPIC AREAS TO BE ASSESSED................................................. 35 5.1 Overview........................................................................................................ 35 5.2 Bathymetry, Geology and Hydrodynamics ...................................................... 36 5.2.1 Preliminary Environmental Baseline ..........................................................36 5.2.2 Key Potential Environmental Impacts ........................................................39 5.2.3 Proposed Assessment Methodology..........................................................39 5.3 Benthos and Sediment Quality ....................................................................... 41 5.3.1 Preliminary Environmental Baseline ..........................................................41 5.3.2 Key Potential Environmental Impacts ........................................................43 5.3.3 Proposed Assessment Methodology..........................................................43 5.4 Fish and Shellfish Ecology.............................................................................. 45 5.4.1 Preliminary Environmental Baseline ..........................................................45 5.4.2 Key Potential Environmental Impacts ........................................................46 5.4.3 Proposed Assessment Methodology..........................................................46 5.5 Nature Conservation....................................................................................... 47 5.5.1 Preliminary Environmental Baseline ..........................................................47 5.5.2 Key Potential Environmental Impacts ........................................................51 5.5.3 Proposed Assessment Methodology..........................................................51 5.6 Marine Mammals............................................................................................ 52 5.6.1 Preliminary Environmental Baseline ..........................................................52 5.6.2 Key Potential Environmental Impacts ........................................................54 5.6.3 Proposed Assessment Methodology..........................................................55 5.7 Marine Ornithology......................................................................................... 55 5.7.1 Preliminary Environmental Baseline ..........................................................55 5.7.2 Key Potential Environmental Impacts ........................................................60 5.7.3 Proposed Assessment Methodology..........................................................61 5.8 Landscape, Seascape
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