Environmental Impact Assessment Consent Decision and Decision Report
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Environmental Impact Assessment Consent Decision and Decision Report Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2007 (as amended) (“the Regulations”) Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (“the Act”) Aggregate extraction Area 521 – Goodwin Sands MLA/2016/00227 25 July 2018 Drafted by David Morris Date 01/05/2018 Marine Licensing Case Officer Checked by Abbey Pennington Date 16/07/2018 Marine Licensing Case Manager Checked by Matthew Kinmond Date 19/07/2018 Senior Marine Licensing Case Manager Checked by Shaun Nicholson Date 25/07/2018 Head of Strategic Marine Licensing Page 1 of 41 Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................ 3 1.1. Purpose of the Report ................................................................................ 3 1.2. Decision ..................................................................................................... 4 1.2.1. EIA Consent Decision ............................................................................. 4 1.2.2. Marine Licence Decision ......................................................................... 4 2. Application details ..................................................................................... 5 2.1. Project details ............................................................................................ 5 2.2. Need for the Proposed Project ................................................................... 6 3. Legislative and Policy Framework ............................................................. 7 3.1. Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 ........................................................ 7 3.2. Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2007 (as amended) (“the Regulations”) .................................................................... 7 3.3. Water Framework Directive (Council Directive 2000/60/EC) (“WFD”) ........ 7 3.4. Waste Framework Directive (Council Directive 2008/98/EC) (“WaFD”) ..... 8 3.5. The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 ................... 8 3.6. Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) ...................................... 8 3.7. Marine Conservation Zones ....................................................................... 9 3.8. Sites of Nature Conservation Importance and UK Biodiversity Action Plan 9 3.9. Marine Policy Statement .......................................................................... 10 3.10. National Planning Policy Framework ....................................................... 10 3.11. Protection of Military Remains Act (1986) (POMRA) ............................... 10 3.12. UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001) ...................................................................................................... 11 3.13. Valletta Convention .................................................................................. 11 4. Consultation Exercise .............................................................................. 11 4.1. First Consultation ..................................................................................... 11 4.2. Second Consultation ................................................................................ 13 4.3. Third Consultation .................................................................................... 14 4.4. Recovery of marine licence application .................................................... 14 5. Evaluation ................................................................................................ 15 5.1. Alternative source of material .................................................................. 17 5.2. Archaeology and the Historic Environment .............................................. 18 5.3. Coastal Processes, Hydrodynamics and Flood Risk................................ 22 5.4. Water Quality ........................................................................................... 23 5.5. Nature Conservation ................................................................................ 24 5.5.1. European and Ramsar Sites ................................................................. 24 5.5.2. Sites of Special Scientific Interest ......................................................... 26 5.5.3. MCZs, recommended (rMCZs) and proposed MCZs (pMCZs) ............. 27 5.5.4. Goodwin Sands pMCZ.......................................................................... 28 Page 2 of 41 5.6. Benthic Ecology ....................................................................................... 29 5.7. Ornithology .............................................................................................. 30 5.8. Marine Mammals ..................................................................................... 31 5.9. Fish and Shellfish ..................................................................................... 32 5.10. Commercial and Recreational Fisheries .................................................. 34 5.11. Commercial and Recreational Navigation ................................................ 35 5.12. Tourism, Recreation and Socio-Economics ............................................. 36 5.13. Waste Framework Directive ..................................................................... 36 5.14. Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................. 36 5.15. Environmental Statement ......................................................................... 38 5.16. Other Matters ........................................................................................... 38 5.17. Monitoring, Mitigation and Other Conditions ............................................ 39 5.17.1. Archaeology and the Historic Environment ....................................... 40 5.17.2. Physical Processes ........................................................................... 40 5.17.3. Nature Conservation ......................................................................... 40 5.17.4. Benthic Ecology ................................................................................. 40 5.17.5. Marine Mammals ............................................................................... 40 5.17.6. Commercial and Recreational Fishing ............................................... 40 5.17.7. Navigation ......................................................................................... 41 5.18. Data, Evidence and Modelling ................................................................. 41 1. Introduction 1.1. Purpose of the Report This report is the Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) consent decision and decision report for a marine licence under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 for aggregate dredging at Area 521 – Goodwin Sands (“the Project”). Dover Harbour Board (“DHB”) applied for a marine licence under Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (the Act) on 19 May 2016. The purpose of this report is to summarise the proposed Project, the consultation undertaken and to record the key reasons for the Marine Management Organisation’s (“MMO”) evaluation and conclusions under the Marine Works (EIA) Regulations 2007 (as amended) (“the Regulations”) and Section 69 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) (“the Act”). Page 3 of 41 1.2. Decision In summary: The MMO has reviewed the proposed Project, and has concluded a favourable EIA consent decision and has determined that it is appropriate to grant a marine licence under Part 4 of the Act. The MMO has concluded that adequate mitigation measures have been included to minimise the potential significant impacts associated with the proposed Project. Measures to control impacts will be secured through marine licence conditions. 1.2.1. EIA Consent Decision In reaching this decision, the MMO has considered the Environmental Statement (“ES”) submitted in support of the application (including the Further Environmental Information) and representations received. The MMO concludes that an EIA consent for the Project should be given under the Regulations. An assessment of the likely significant impacts to the environment has been conducted and the MMO concludes that adequate mitigation measures will minimise the potential impacts of the Project. A summary of the consultation process is given at Section 4 of this Report. A summary of the evaluation undertaken by ES topic is presented in Section 5. 1.2.2. Marine Licence Decision The MMO concludes that a marine licence for the Project should be given under Part 4 of the Act, having regard to the test(s) under Section 69 of the Act and all other considerations. A full assessment of the impacts to the environment, human health and other legitimate uses of the sea including such other matters that the MMO thinks relevant has been conducted as summarised below in Section 5. The MMO has taken into account the evidence provided and the comprehensive consultations. The MMO has considered in its Decision under the Act, the clear conclusions of the EIA Consent Decision on individual issues as set out within Section 5, which includes consideration of the nature of the proposed activity (i.e. dredge campaign), its likely significant effects, and likely significant effects both individually and cumulatively. In relation to its decision under Part 4 of the Act, the MMO has considered the ES and representations received and in summary under Section 69 of the Act key considerations