126. The East Anglia ONE export cable corridor survey identified potential for Sabellaria reef to be present at station 19, which is located on the southern edge of the offshore cable corridor (Figure 10.11 and Appendix 10.3).
10.5.5.1.2Vegetated shingle. 127. Coastal vegetated shingle is considered rare globally and is listed on Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive (‘perennial vegetation of stony banks’). It supports a unique range of flora and fauna that are adapted to the harsh conditions that are present at such locations. Several species of birds including terns, gulls and waders nest on shingle with their eggs coloured to blend in with the shingle environment. The steep profiles, which naturally occur over time on shingle shores, create a natural sea defence. Vegetated shingle was present throughout both sites surveyed. The Suffolk coast holds around 15% of Britain’s vegetated shingle resource and some areas, such as neighbouring Orfordness (Shingle Street), are designated as SACs. The impacts to this Annex I habitat are assessed in Chapter 23 Ecology.
128. Sandbanks which are permanently covered by seawater, described in the Directive as ‘Sublittoral sandbanks which are slightly covered by seawater all the time’ are also Annex I habitat with potential to be located within the offshore cable corridor. This is a difficult habitat to define however, this Annex I habitat was not noted in the East Anglia Zone surveys, the East Anglia ONE cable corridor surveys or the survey of the East Anglia THREE site and offshore cable corridor.
129. Evidence acquired from the underwater video and stills imagery gathered as part of the benthic characterisation surveys indicate that other potential Annex I habitats such as mussel beds, geogenic (rock based) reefs and submarine structures caused by leaking gases are not present across the Zone (Appendix 10.2).
10.5.5.2 Marine Protected Areas 130. There are a number of protected areas in the vicinity of proposed East Anglia THREE project. The offshore cable corridor intersects the Outer Thames Estuary SPA (Figure 10.13). This SPA is designated for wintering populations of red-throated diver (Gavia stellata) that it supports. The primary prey of the red-throated diver are fish species although they are also considered to occasionally consume crustaceans and molluscs. Regionally the Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton cSAC has been proposed for designation for the Annex I sandbank habitats. This cSAC incorporates both Smiths Knoll and Hearty Knoll, which are north and outside the East Anglia THREE site.
131. The government is aiming to create a network of marine protected areas around the UK through the designation ofMarine Conservation Zones (MCZs). These are designated under theMarine and Coastal Access Act (2009). In the southern North
Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014
East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm
Chapter 1 Introduction Page 53
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