160 likes | 412 Views
Walney Extension offshore wind farm. Meeting with the Planning Inspectorate Bristol 1 st March 2013. Offshore Work Plan. Northern cable route option removed Southern cable option that runs south of Lune Deep Special Area of Conservation (SAC) has been selected.
E N D
Walney Extension offshore wind farm Meeting with the Planning Inspectorate Bristol 1st March 2013
Offshore Work Plan • Northern cable route option removed • Southern cable option that runs south of Lune Deep Special Area of Conservation (SAC) has been selected.
Design Changes - onshore and intertidal • Selection of final substation location and increase in height of substation structures • Amendments to cable landfall location and working corridor width in salt marsh • Realignment of the onshore cable route, inclusion of a section of cable connecting into the NGET substation, an additional cable spur to connect the export cable into the Project substation, and identification of specific working areas and access routes/points
Design Changes - offshore • Increase in monopile foundation diameter from 8m to 9m • Addition of suction caisson foundation to jacket structures supporting wind turbines • Increased burial depth for inter-array cables • Changes to location of offshore export cable corridor • Inclusion of 8MW turbine within design envelope (no change in maximum dimensions of turbines)
Design Changes - Consultation • Community consultation event, Middleton Parish Hall, 25th February 2013 • Design changes memorandum circulated to S42 and S44 consultees 28th February 2013 • Document placed on website, and notification sent to all S47 consultees 4th March 2013
Conflicts with Local Authority pre-election purdah • Cumbria and Lancashire County Council elections scheduled for May 2013 • Purdah commencing end March 2013 • Pre-purdah presentation to Cumbria County Council local committees are currently scheduled for 8th, 22ndand 27th March • Lancashire County Council to advise whether their members require a presentation prior to purdah • Key issues for discussion: • Visual impacts • Economic opportunities, and socio-economic issues and benefits • Community benefits
Sediment / spoil disposal approach • Insufficient information pre-application to assess impacts of dredging for gravity base / suction caisson foundations • Approach to disposal within the windfarm site, or at an existing registered disposal site not confirmed • A range of foundation types to be applied for and assessed in ES – final project design not confirmed, therefore need for dredging and disposal not confirmed • MMO have approved approach for this to be consented under a separate Marine Licence
Habitat Regulations Assessment • HRA being completed in accordance with Advice Note 10 (January 2013) • HRA Screening & Scoping report issued in October 2012 • Consultation ongoing with key stakeholders • Draft HRA Report to be issued SNCBs including SNH, CCW, DoE Northern Ireland, NPWS Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, local authorities, RSPB & PINS • Key HRA issues: • Manx shearwater displacement (alone and in-combination with other OWF) • Construction impacts on birds using intertidal in Morecambe Bay SPA/Ramsar • Construction impacts on saltmarsh habitat from cable landfall works • Collision impacts on lesser black-backed gull colonies (Ribble & Alt Estuaries SPA / Ramsar) - in combination with other Irish Sea zone owf and other plans and projects • Assessment of collision impact on migratory whooper swan and pink-footed goose
Project Team & Contact Details Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm DONG Energy Walney Extension (UK) Ltd. 33 Grosvenor Place Belgravia London SW1X 7HY Tel: 0207 811 5235 Web: www.walneyextension.co.uk E-mail: walneyextension@dongenergy.co.uk