POST CONSENT SUPPORT
WHEN CAN YOU TICK ARCHAEOLOGY OFF THE LIST?
Brandon Mason, Business Development Manager for Maritime Archaeology Ltd looks at the role of archaeology in post consent monitoring
Adverse impacts on marine archaeology and cultural heritage from offshore renewables projects are likely to be permanent as there is no capacity for recovery from impacts on this finite resource. Despite this, with the application of appropriate mitigation, such effects can be avoided entirely, or reduced to acceptable levels in environmental impact (EIA) terms.
Policy does recognise that the construction, operation and de-commissioning of offshore energy infrastructure can affect waves, tides and scour so a specialist maritime archaeologist is required to provide accurate forecasts for the impact of new structures on the historic environment. Phew, problem solved.
In reality, however, the indirect impact of turbines on tidal flows can only be measured accurately after installation. This means that heritage curators can never confidently place archaeology in the file marked ‘done’ - and therefore neither can developers – no matter how temping to do so.
PRESENT SITUATION
Today, the National Policy Statements for Overarching Energy and Renewable Energy Infrastructure, combined with the April 2014 Marine Management
Organisation (MMO) guidance means that we now live in a post consenting world.
And this is something
CONSENTING PROCESS The consenting process dictates that developers have an obligation to produce an environmental statement featuring a detailed archaeological baseline, EIA, desk- based assessment and technical data to inform these mitigation strategies. But is this where heritage should end?
that marine archaeologists are increasingly being asked to support.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
Post consent monitoring requirements are often thought of as solely applicable to wildlife, fisheries and environmental licence conditions but the importance of cultural heritage is now ever more recognised. Indeed, in a bumper year of historical commemorations many organisations are
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recognising that archaeological EIA consent and mitigation is only the start and that heritage and corporate image work well hand in hand.
EXAMPLE
For example, the principles of co-operation and pro-active biennial monitoring of submerged cultural heritage brought into the marine aggregates industry more than a decade ago [BMPAPA EH GUIDANCE 2003] highlight the relationships that can be reached between industry, English Heritage and other stakeholders.
From this, other monitoring initiatives have developed, such as the BMAPA Protocol for Reporting Finds of Archaeological Interest (revised 2011), as well as a wealth of quantitative data that has enabled more fully contextualised responses to marine planning, licensing processes and development proposals.
Perhaps this is the start of a similar movement for OWFs?
DEVELOPMENT AT SEA
With the pressures of more development at sea, I believe we will see movement toward more industry collaboration; moving away from project development to zonal developments, balanced both for industry and to record and preserve our historic maritime seascapes – all of which will need ongoing archaeological support.
Brandon Mason
Business Development Manager Maritime Archaeology Ltd
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