Anglia THREE site during construction are likely to result in a low magnitude of impact.
16.
Considering the low sensitivity and high value of the receptor the sensitivity level has been modified from negligible to low and taking into account the low predicted magnitude the impact of smothering of S.spinulosa is likely to be of negligible significance.
Cumulative impacts example 17.
As proposed in the Evidence plan meeting held on the 11th of September 2013 the cumulative impacts for benthic ecology (and fish and shellfish ecology with the exception of cumulative impacts upon sandeels and underwater noise impacts) will be assessed in one small concise section of the Environmental Statement (ES) chapter. The following is an example of how this may be presented. This approach may change as further information becomes available.
18. The impacts to the benthos are:
Physical disturbance and habitat loss; Smothering; Re‐mobilisation of contaminated sediments; Underwater noise and vibration; and Colonisation of foundations and cable protection.
19.
These impacts will mostly be temporary, small scale and localised for the East Anglia THREE. Given the distances to other activities in the region (e.g. other offshore windfarms, aggregate extraction) and the localised nature of the impacts there is no pathway for interaction between impacts cumulatively. Whilst it is recognised that across the Zone or Regional Sea there will be additive impacts, the overall combined magnitude of these will be negligible relative to the scale of the habitats affected. In addition given the ubiquity and low ecological sensitivity of habitats across the Southern North Sea (and indeed across areas deemed suitable for development) sensitivity is also likely to be low or negligible at a cumulative scale. In the case of physical disturbance and smothering during construction there is only potential for such additive impacts if project construction schedules overlap. In cases where sensitive habitats are present, these will be avoided by micro‐siting and design in those projects (as has been committed to for East Anglia THREE), therefore there would be negligible or no impacts.
Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014
East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm
Appendix. 10.1 Benthic Ecology Evidence Plan Page 32
