East Anglia ONE Offshore Windfarm Construction Artificial Lighting Emissions Plan


September, 2016


39.


The pre-construction surveys updated information of trees with potential Bat Features Category 1 to 3 and the three trees (TN 70, TN123 and TN128) with confirmed roost bat locations is shown in Appendix 1.


40.


Bats hibernate through the winter months and begin to feed on warmer nights from March. Females begin to move to maternity roosts around April and by May the pregnant females are in maternity roosts. Young bats are born in June and July and by august are usually flying and feeding. Mating and swarming occurs September and October prior to hibernation.


41.


Therefore, external lighting at night should be avoided as far as feasible, particularly during the months of higher fly activity (August – October). If lighting at night is required, it will comply with Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) recommendations on external lighting as agreed with Natural England.


42.


In order to prevent the potential reduction in available foraging opportunities and access to roosting sites for bats, as a result of lighting impacts, no working at night will be undertaken along the cable route, except at specified locations where it cannot be avoided (i.e. for 24 hour HDD operations, construction consolidation sites or night time road closures).


43.


Furthermore, there will be limited 24 hour lighting at the Substation compound site during particular construction activities (e.g. concrete pours) and directional lighting or shields will be used during Autumn (August – October).


4.2.2.2 Badger 44.


Badgers and their setts are comprehensively protected by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (as amended). The varying habitats along the cable route corridor provide good opportunities for badger (Meles meles). The badger surveys carried out in 2012 for the ES and the 2015 and 206 pre-construction surveys have found several badger setts within the cable route corridor. As badger setts locations are confidential information as such they are not shown in Appendix 1. The species and locations are detailed in a confidential section of the EcoMP.


45.


The badger breeding season is from 1st December to 30th June.Works that could result in disturbance of a breeding sett should be avoided at this time. However, if granted for the known badger setts, the licence may allow, with conditions, some activities that may disturb badgers occupying a breeding sett during the breeding season.


46.


Where night time works are required lighting would be directional to avoid unnecessary lighting on woodland and water edge, so as not to disturb emerging or foraging badgers.


4.2.2.3 Otter 47.


Otters are a European Protected Species (EPS). Otters and their resting sites/shelters are protected in the UK under The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (as amended). Otter field signs (spraint, slides and resting sites) were recorded at various locations along the cable route in the 2012 surveys for the ES and in further pre-construction surveys carried out in 2015 and 2016. The locations of otter resting sites within and near the DOL are shown in Appendix 1.


4.2.2.4 Great Crested Newts 48.


Great crested newts are a European protected species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (as amended). Some waterbodies around the cable route showed presence of Great Crested Newts (GCN) in the 2012 and pre-construction surveys. These are shown in Appendix 1.


4.2.2.5 Schedule 1 birds and SPA Non-breeding birds 49.


Bird species listed on Schedule 1 of theW&CA are afforded extra protection making it an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb any such bird when it is building its nest or while it is in or near a nest containing dependant young, and / or disturb the dependant young of any such bird. Schedule 1 birds have been recorded in some areas surrounding the cable route. As Schedule 1 locations are sensitive information, they are not shown in Appendix 1. The species and locations are detailed in a confidential section of the EcoMP.


50.


An Ecological Mitigation Plan for the Deben Estuary Special Protection Area (SPA) non-breeding birds and Schedule 1 breeding birds were presented as Appendix 4 of the Outline Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (2013). This Ecological Mitigation Plan outlines the requirement applicable for lighting mitigation for Schedule 1 bird species and SPA Non-breeding birds:


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