3.3 ProjectWide Topics


3.3.1 Socio-Economics 67.


The socio-economic impacts of the proposed East Anglia THREE project have been considered both in terms of potential effects on local tourism and recreation economy. The full impact assessment will be made in the final ES.


68.


The socio-economic impacts are likely to be beneficial and relate to workers coming into the area during the onshore construction phase.


3.3.2 Seascape, Landscape and Visual Amenity 69.


Careful selection of the location of the cable route and the converter station has ensured that sensitive landscapes and landscape features have largely been avoided. It has also used existing landscape features, such as the existing woodland around the converter station, to best effect.


70.


The majority of effects on the landscape would typically be short term, localised and reversible. Only at the converter station would there be long-term impacts, and these would be reduced by suitable additional landscaping and planting.


3.4 Conclusions 71.


For all offshore topics the assessments conclude that the proposed East Anglia THREE project on its own would not result in significant impacts. In many cases this is the result of sensitive siting of the East Anglia THREE site and offshore cable corridor to avoid impacts altogether. Potentially significant impacts have been identified for marine mammals in combination with other projects in the region; however the contribution by the proposed project is minimal. With regard to offshore birds, it is currently unclear how many birds would be affected when considering all the proposed projects in the North Sea. This will be discussed further in the final ES.


72.


For onshore topics the assessments conclude that, for the majority of receptors, the proposed East Anglia THREE project would not result in significant impacts. Again the site selection, particularly of the onshore cable route, resulted in many potential impacts being avoided completely, for example impacts on the majority of protected sites. East Anglia THREE Limited has committed to implementing mitigation measures in line with those agreed for the proposed East Anglia ONE project to ensure that impacts are minimised.


73.


The assessment presented is, as far as possible at this stage, a draft ES and for the offshore elements updates to be made for the final ES will be limited to those


Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014


East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm


Non-Technical Summary Page 14


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