Walney Extension offshore wind farm – EIA Scoping Report September 2010 Walney Extension offshore wind farm rights, 2010. All rights reserved. For other chart data copyright see Appendix C. Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report Co-ordinated by: Ferdinando Giammichele and Trine Hoffman Sørensen. Prepared by: Ferdinando Giammichele, Stuart Livesey, Nicola Barberis-Negra, Trine Hoffman Sørensen, Jennifer Brack, Joanne Myers, Thomas Walsh, Emily Marshall, Aja Brodal, and Shiu-Yeung Hui. Checked by: Ferdinando Giammichele, Trine Hoffman Sørensen, Jesper Krarup Holst, and Hans Lyhne Borg. Approved by: Jesper Krarup Holst. DONG Energy Power (UK) Ltd. 33 Grosvenor Place, Belgravia, London, SW1X 7HY Additional contributions and review by: Project Management Support Services Ltd., Brown & May Marine Ltd. and Bond Pearce LLP. Version: Final. Date: September 27th 2010. Submitted to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) on September 27th 2010. © DONG Energy Power (UK) Ltd, 2010. All rights reserved. This report is also downloadable from the Walney offshore wind farm website at: www.walneyextension.co.uk or a paper copy can be requested by writing to: [email protected] . Pictures: © Walney (UK) Offshore Windfarms Ltd., 2010. Front cover picture: Horns Rev 2 offshore wind farm off the western Danish coast at Esbjerg, September 2009 © DONG Energy Power (UK) Ltd., 2010. Charts: © DONG Energy Power (UK) Ltd., 2010. United Kingdom Hydrographic Office admiralty charts: © SeaZone Solutions Ltd. Licence no. 092008.004 to DONG Energy Power (UK) Ltd. United Kingdom coastline and background raster tiles (1:250,000 and 1:10,000) contain OS OpenData: Ordnance Survey © Crown Copyright and database DONG Energy Page 2 of 151 Walney Extension offshore wind farm – EIA Scoping Report September 2010 Table of Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 9 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 The Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm Development ............................................................. 10 1.1.1 The Developer ............................................................................................................................ 10 1.1.2 The Existing Offshore Wind Farm ............................................................................................... 10 1.1.3 The Extension Offshore Wind Farm Development ...................................................................... 10 1.2 The Scoping Report ........................................................................................................................... 12 1.2.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 12 1.2.2 Activities and Data ...................................................................................................................... 12 1.3 Policy Background ............................................................................................................................. 13 1.3.1 The UK Energy Policy and the Role of the Renewable Sources of Energy ................................ 13 1.3.2 Round 1 and 2 of Offshore Wind Farm Development ................................................................. 14 1.3.3 The Extensions to Round 1 and 2 Offshore Wind Farms ............................................................ 15 1.4 Planning Consents and Environmental Impact Assessment ......................................................... 16 1.4.1 The Planning Act 2008 ................................................................................................................ 16 1.4.2 The Development Consent Order (DCO) .................................................................................... 16 1.4.3 Consultation Process .................................................................................................................. 17 1.4.4 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) .................................................................................... 18 2. Project Description ................................................................................................................... 21 2.1 Objectives of the Development ......................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Site Layout .......................................................................................................................................... 21 2.3 Foundations for Wind Turbines ........................................................................................................ 21 2.4 Wind Turbines .................................................................................................................................... 22 2.5 Offshore Substation ........................................................................................................................... 22 2.6 Inter-array and Export Cables Routes and Corridors...................................................................... 24 2.7 Onshore Substation ........................................................................................................................... 24 2.8 Anemometry Mast .............................................................................................................................. 24 3. Scoping of Environmental Impacts ......................................................................................... 27 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 27 3.1.1 Contents of the Chapter .............................................................................................................. 27 3.1.2 Magnitude and Significance of the Impacts ................................................................................ 27 3.2 The Offshore Physical Environment ................................................................................................. 29 3.2.1 Overview of the Site .................................................................................................................... 29 3.2.2 Physical Conditions ..................................................................................................................... 29 3.2.3 Meteorology ................................................................................................................................ 31 3.2.4 Water Quality .............................................................................................................................. 32 3.2.5 Offshore Physical Environment – Potential Environmental Impacts............................................ 34 3.2.6 Offshore Physical Environment – Surveys and Studies Undertaken to Date and Proposed Surveys .................................................................................................................................................... 34 3.3 The Offshore Biological Environment .............................................................................................. 38 DONG Energy Page 3 of 151 Walney Extension offshore wind farm – EIA Scoping Report September 2010 3.3.1 Benthic Ecology .......................................................................................................................... 38 3.3.2 Intertidal and Littoral Ecology ...................................................................................................... 39 3.3.3 Finfish and Shellfish .................................................................................................................... 42 3.3.4 Ornithology ................................................................................................................................. 45 3.3.5 Marine Mammals ........................................................................................................................ 64 3.3.6 Nature Conservation Areas ......................................................................................................... 65 3.3.7 Offshore Biological Environment – Potential Environmental Impacts.......................................... 69 3.3.8 Offshore Biological Environment – Surveys and Studies Undertaken to Date and Proposed Surveys ...................................................................................................................................... 83 3.4 The Offshore Human Environment ................................................................................................... 90 3.4.1 Shipping and Navigation ............................................................................................................. 90 3.4.2 Commercial Fisheries ................................................................................................................. 91 3.4.3 Oil & Gas Exploration and Production ......................................................................................... 92 3.4.4 Pipelines ..................................................................................................................................... 93 3.4.5 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Storage Areas, Offshore Ports, and Pipelines .............................. 94 3.4.6 Telecommunication