Costa Head Wave Farm Limited Scoping Report Offshore Project Infrastructure Rev Prepared Checked Approved Date of LW & PT LF, KS, JT & PC PC & KS May 2012 0.1 By By By Issue Document Reference: LM000035-REP-SCO-CHWFL Costa Head Wave Farm – Offshore Scoping Report Page 3 of 155 CONTENTS COSTA HEAD WAVE FARM LIMITED - REQUEST FOR SCOPING OPINION.................... 7 Glossary of Terms................................................................................................................... 9 Acronyms .............................................................................................................................. 13 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................17 1.1 Background..........................................................................................................................17 1.2 Document Purpose..............................................................................................................19 1.3 Development Strategy.........................................................................................................19 1.4 Development Overview.......................................................................................................23 1.5 Document Structure ............................................................................................................24 2 Approach to Scoping and EIA........................................................................................ 25 2.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................................25 2.2 EIA Scoping and Navigational PHA ......................................................................................25 2.3 Consideration of Design Options (Rochdale Envelope).......................................................26 2.4 Survey Deploy and Monitor Policy ......................................................................................26 2.5 Approach to Onshore Application.......................................................................................26 3 Policy and Legislative Context....................................................................................... 29 3.1 The Need for Renewable Energy.........................................................................................29 3.2 Energy Policy........................................................................................................................29 3.3 Marine Planning Framework ...............................................................................................30 3.4 Terrestrial Planning Framework ..........................................................................................32 3.5 Environmental Impact Assessment Legislation...................................................................33 3.6 Habitats Directive ................................................................................................................34 3.6.1 Habitats Regulations Appraisal and Appropriate Assessment ............................................34 3.6.2 European Protected Species ................................................................................................35 3.7 Consent Applications...........................................................................................................35 4 Development Description............................................................................................... 37 4.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................................37 4.2 Development Infrastructure................................................................................................38 4.3 Construction and Installation ..............................................................................................45 4.4 Commissioning ....................................................................................................................47 Document Reference: LM000035-REP-SCO-CHWFL Costa Head Wave Farm – Offshore Scoping Report Page 4 of 155 4.5 Operation and Maintenance ...............................................................................................48 4.6 Ports, Harbours and other Local Facilities...........................................................................49 4.7 Decommissioning ................................................................................................................ 49 5 Physical Characterisation and Impact Assessment....................................................... 51 5.1 Introduction to Baseline Characterisation and Impact Assessment ...................................51 5.2 Physical Processes and Sediment Dynamics........................................................................51 5.3 Air and Climate ....................................................................................................................55 5.4 Sediments and Water Quality .............................................................................................57 6 Biological Characterisation and Impact Assessment..................................................... 59 6.1 Intertidal and Benthic habitats............................................................................................59 6.2 Fish and Shellfish Resources................................................................................................63 6.3 Marine mammals and reptiles.............................................................................................69 6.4 Ornithology..........................................................................................................................74 6.5 Conservation........................................................................................................................79 7 Human Activities ............................................................................................................ 84 7.1 Population and Development..............................................................................................84 7.2 Commercial Fisheries...........................................................................................................85 7.3 Shipping and Navigation......................................................................................................90 7.4 Ports and Harbours..............................................................................................................92 7.5 Tourism and Recreation ......................................................................................................93 7.6 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage .....................................................................................97 7.7 Landscape and Seascape ...................................................................................................101 7.8 Other Sea Users.................................................................................................................103 8 Cumulative and In-Combination Impacts..................................................................... 107 9 Stakeholder Engagement ............................................................................................ 113 9.1 Approach to Stakeholder Engagement .............................................................................113 9.2 Pre‐scoping Consultation...................................................................................................113 9.3 Stakeholder Identification .................................................................................................114 9.4 Communication and Engagement Strategy.......................................................................114 9.5 Public Consultation............................................................................................................116 10 Summary and Conclusions ...................................................................................... 117 10.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................117 Document Reference: LM000035-REP-SCO-CHWFL Costa Head Wave Farm – Offshore Scoping Report Page 5 of 155 10.2 Consultation ......................................................................................................................117 10.3 Environmental Impact Assessment ...................................................................................117 10.4 Mitigation and Monitoring Techniques.............................................................................117 10.5 Scoping Questions .............................................................................................................118 11 References............................................................................................................... 119 Appendix A Content of Environmental Statement.......................................................... 127 Appendix B Strategic Research and Studies................................................................. 129 Appendix C Stakeholder List.......................................................................................... 135 Appendix D Approach to HRA Screening (Marine)........................................................ 143 Appendix E Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA)...........................................................