Chapter 22 Other Users

Neart na Gaoithe Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Statement Chapter 22 Other Users 7 Approximately 80 clubs and associations were informed of the publication of the offshore EIA Scoping Report via 22.1 Introduction letter in November 2009. The associated Scoping Opinion, issued by Marine Scotland in response to the Scoping 1 This section of the Environmental Statement (ES) contains information related to other coastal and marine users, Report, included comments from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) concerning recreational safety and including recreational fishing and watersports, as identified in the Scoping Report and Scoping Opinion (refer to also contained advice from the Scottish Canoe Association (SCA), the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and East www.neartnagaoithe.com and Appendix 6.1: Scoping Opinion, respectively). The likely significant impacts of the Lothian Council (refer to table 22.1) on recreational issues. proposed Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm development on these receptors are assessed. 8 In June 2011, further clubs and associations were contacted by letter and email, to confirm the extent of their activities in the vicinity of Neart na Gaoithe offshore site and cable route and to provide the opportunity to meet 22.2 Guidance and Legislation with the project team and discuss the project. A summary of the consultation effort is presented in Appendix 22.1: Other Users Consultation Log. The information provided in this chapter has been developed through web- 2 There is no specific legislation relating to the other users described in this chapter. There are, however, a number based searches and consultation with local clubs, as indicated. of guidance publications that have been produced by international and recreational bodies and renewable industry representative bodies. These include: Source Comment Relevance/reference Blue Seas Green Energy - Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) (SAS, 2009); Developments should avoid RYA cruising routes and Strategic Environmental areas of known high recreational activity and Refer to Chapter 7: Shipping and Navigation Assessment (SEA) Part B: Post Royal Yachting Association (RYA) publications (e.g., RYA, 2011; 2009a; 2009b); and importance through appropriate positioning within and Section 22.6.3.1: Sailing. Adoption Statement (Marine the option boundary. OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR, 2003). Scotland). Information on the layout, spacing and direction of the set of turbines are required (crucial to avoid Refer to Chapter 5: Project Description. 22.3 Data Sources impeding navigation, particularly under sail). Significant numbers of cruising vessels come to the 3 Information on the distribution and nature of the other coastal and marine users in the area surrounding the This has been noted and is referred to in East coast of Scotland both from England and from proposed Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm and associated cable route has been obtained from a variety of Section 22.6.3.1: Sailing. sources, including websites and through consultation. A full overview is provided below. Continental Europe. The RYA Coastal Atlas referred to in the text is kept Scoping Opinion (RYA advice). The project team is aware that these routes 4 No surveys specific to other coastal and marine users have been undertaken as part of this Environmental Impact under continual revision. Routes may change with may change and welcome continued Assessment (EIA). However, the outputs from related and complimentary surveys such as the metocean survey the installation of wind farms for both negative consultation with the RYA regarding any and associated model, the navigational AIS survey and risk model and ecology surveys have been considered in (impediment to navigation, perception of risk) and updates. the impact assessment. These models predict the effects of the offshore wind farm on the resources other positive (navigational aids) reasons. marine users require to undertake their activities, such as waves for surfing and fish stocks for fishing. RYA can arrange consultation with many yacht clubs The project team has consulted with many but note many are staffed by volunteers - limited clubs and associations, many of which are RYA capacity. members. 22.4 Engagement and Commitments Coastal developments that introduce new artificial No artificial headlands are planned as part of headlands (e.g., relating to cable routes onshore) the project (Refer to Chapter 5: Project 22.4.1 Strategic and Site Level Requirements create a danger to the passage of small craft (e.g., Description for further information). canoes). 5 There are a number of commitments made on behalf of developers in the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Scoping Opinion (SCA advice). Groups of sea kayakers occasionally make the open (Refer to Chapter 7: Engagement and Commitments for further information), and comments and crossing to the Bell Rock from Fife Ness, Arbroath or Noted and referred to in Section 22.6.3: Study recommendations made on the approach to EIA through the Scoping Opinion (Appendix 6.1: Scoping Opinion). Broughty Ferry. Any impact should be Area Activities and Use. Relevant commitments and requirements are listed in Table 22.1, along with information on how they have been assessed/consulted (e.g., in construction stages). addressed in this chapter. Chapter 8: Geology and Water Quality Designated EC Bathing waters (Thorntonloch and provides an overview of designated Shellfish Scoping Opinion (East Lothian 22.4.2 Consultation Seton Sands (near Cockenzie)) and their amenity and Bathing Waters, and Section 22.6.3: Study Council advice). value need consideration given the cable route. Area Activities and Use discusses 6 Much of the information for this chapter has been obtained through consultation with recreational clubs and Thorntonloch’s amenity use. associations that represent the recreational activities that take place in the area surrounding the Neart na Advice to the Forth and Tay Tourism and Recreational activities should be Gaoithe offshore site and offshore cable route. Offshore Wind Developer Noted. Refer to Chapter 17: Shipping and included as a cumulative impact to ensure Group (FTOWDG) (MCA Navigation. requirements of MGN 371 are met. advice) Table 22.1: Strategic and site level commitments and requirements Page 22-1 Neart na Gaoithe Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Statement Characteristic Categories Definition / description 22.5 Impact Assessment Methodology Spatial extent (S) Negligible Does not cover areas covered by other marine users. 9 The overall methodology for EIA is outlined in Chapter 6: The Approach to Environmental Impact Assessment. In support of this the following is a summary of the specific approach to assess impacts on other coastal and marine Low Extent partly covers areas covered by other marine users. users including the criteria used. Medium Extent wholly covers areas covered by other marine users. 22.5.1 The Rochdale Envelope High Extent wholly covers areas of unique value to other marine users. 10 The potential impacts on other coastal and marine users can be summarised as the following: Duration (D) Negligible Very short term, effect will stop as soon as the event ceases. Navigational impacts on marine activities, including risk of collision, alteration of routes, and restriction of Low Short term, will stop within days of the event ceasing. access; Medium Temporary, effect will last more than days. Access and amenity impacts on coastal and marine users and activities located in areas surrounding the High Permanent, effect lasts beyond the operational and decommissioning phases. export cable route including potential impacts to neighbours from export cable onshore works; and Frequency (f) Negligible Intermittent through construction or operation phase. Indirect impacts on resources used by other coastal and marine users, such as dive sites, the wave climate, or fish populations targeted by recreational anglers. Low Occurring regularly throughout the construction phase. 11 Due to the diversity of the potential impacts, the worst case parameter for each effect and receptor is highly Medium Occurring regularly throughout operational phase. variable. For many of the predicted impacts, the impacts are assessed in other chapters in this ES and as such the appropriate Rochdale Envelope options are described in the following chapters: High Continues to occur beyond the operational and decommissioning phases. Navigational impacts are assessed in Chapter 17: Shipping and Navigation. As most of the impacts in terms Severity (v) Negligible The effect will cause no discernible, or a very low degree of change. of navigation are due to the restriction of access during construction, the worst case scenario would be a higher number of turbines, closely spaced to create overlapping safety zones (Refer to Chapter 17: Low The effect will cause some amendments but no major change. Shipping and Navigation for more information on safety zones); Medium The effect will cause a discernible degree of change. Impacts on receptors that may indirectly affect other marine users are addressed in Chapter 15: Fish and High Activities cannot resume. Shellfish Ecology, Chapter 16: Commercial Fisheries and Chapter 9: Physical Processes; and For impacts associated with the installation of the cable in the intertidal area at the export cable landfall Table 22.2: Magnitude of effect category definitions for other users point, the worst

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