11.6.2.1 Impact 1: Physical disturbance and permanent loss of habitat


11.6.2.1.1 Physical disturbance 179.


It is estimated that in a worst case scenario there would be up to 730 maintenance visits per year to the East Anglia THREE windfarm site some of which might involve the use of a jack up vessel.


180.


Jack-up barge feet could penetrate the sea bed disturbing the habitat affecting the organisms within the footprint. The duration of the effect would be temporary, therefore it is unlikely that the physical disturbance of jack-up barge feet would overlap with critical life-stages. Whilst individuals directly within the footprint may not recover, the numbers concerned would be low with no long lasting effects on the wider population and therefore the population would be tolerable to the impact. Taking this into account, the sensitivity would be negligible.


181. With completion of burial or protection of the inter-array and offshore export cables, it is not expected that there would be any physical disturbance of fish and shellfish species of the operational phase of the project. The physical disturbance associated with the inter-array and offshore export cables would therefore be so small as to constitute a magnitude of no change.


182. As a consequence, regardless of receptor sensitivities, due to the magnitude of effects, the resultant impacts during the operational phase would not be significant as there is no potential for them to exceed no impact.


183. Table 11.25 summarises the potential impacts associated with physical disturbance during the operational phase.


Table 11.25 impact of physical disturbance to fish and shellfish species during the operational phase Receptor Group


Fish and Shellfish


Receptor sensitivity Negligible


Magnitude of Effect No impact


Impact Significance No impact


11.6.2.1.2 Permanent loss of habitat 184. Permanent loss of habitat during the operational phase of the East Anglia THREE project from the presence of wind turbine foundations, cable protection and any required scour protection would result in worst case permanent net habitat loss of approximately 3.48km2 (which is approximately 0.3% of the area within the offshore redline boundary for the proposed East Anglia project. The worst-case scenario is


Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014


East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm


Chapter 11 Fish and Shellfish Page 67


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