Expert judgment has been employed to consider and evaluate the likely effect on the species, population or habitat identified. The definitions of magnitude of effect are provided in Table 10.8.


Table 10.8. Definitions of the Magnitude Levels for a Benthic Ecology Receptor Magnitude


Definition High Medium Low


Fundamental, permanent / irreversible changes, over the whole receptor, and / or fundamental alteration to key characteristics or features of the particular receptors character or distinctiveness.


Considerable, permanent / irreversible changes, over the majority of the receptor, and / or discernible alteration to key characteristics or features of the particular receptors character or distinctiveness.


Discernible, temporary (throughout project duration) change, over a minority of the receptor, and / or limited but discernible alteration to key characteristics or features of the particular receptors character or distinctiveness.


Negligible


Discernible, temporary (for part of the project duration) change, or barely discernible change for any length of time, over a small area of the receptor, and/or slight alteration to key characteristics or features of the particular receptors character or distinctiveness.


No change No loss of extent or alteration to characteristics, features or elements.


10.4.3.4 Impact significance 53.


Following the identification of receptor value and sensitivity and magnitude of the effect, it is possible to determine the significance of the impact using the matrix presented in Table 10.9.


Table 10.9. Impact Significance Matrix Sensitivity


High High


Medium Low


Major Major


Moderate Negligible Minor Medium Major


Moderate Minor


Negligible Magnitude Low


Moderate Minor Minor


Negligible Negligible Minor


Negligible Negligible Negligible


No change


No Impact No Impact No Impact No Impact


54.


The matrix (and indeed the definitions of sensitivity and magnitude) are used as a framework to aid understanding of how a judgement has been reached for each


Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014


East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm


Chapter 10 Benthic Ecology Page 28


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