The Burbo Bank Extension Offshore Wind Farm Order 2014

Post construction surveys

16.—(1) The undertaker must, in discharging condition 10(b), submit details for written approval by the MMO in consultation with Natural England of proposed post-construction surveys, including methodologies and timings, and a proposed format, content and timings for providing reports on the results at least four months prior to the start of any survey works detailed within. The survey proposals shall specify each survey’s objectives and explain how it will assist in either informing a useful and valid comparison with the pre-construction position and/or will enable the validation or otherwise of key predictions in the environmental statement.

(2) The post construction surveys referred to in sub-paragraph (1) must unless otherwise agreed with the MMO have due regard to, but not be limited to, the need to undertake—

(a) one high resolution swath bathymetric survey and side scan sonar survey per annum around a sample of adjacent turbines to a distance of three turbine spacings to assess any changes in seabed topography. For this purpose the undertaker will prior to the first such survey submit a desk based assessment to be approved by the MMO (which takes account of all factors which influence scour) to identify the sample of adjacent turbines with greatest potential for scour. The survey will be used to validate the desk based assessment: further surveys beyond three years post-construction specified in sub-paragraph (3) may be required if there are significant differences between the predicted scour and recorded scour;

(b) a survey to determine the location, extent and composition of any benthic habitats of conservation, ecological and or economic importance to validate predictions made in the environmental statement; and

(c) an ornithological survey (in accordance with the principles set out in the outline ornithological survey document) covering the area(s) within the Order limits in which construction works were carried out, and any wider area(s) where appropriate, as required to test predictions in the environmental statement concerning key ornithological interests of relevance to the authorised scheme.

(3) The undertaker must carry out the surveys agreed under sub-paragraph (1) for three years post-construction which may be non-consecutive years and provide the agreed reports in the agreed format in accordance with the agreed timetable, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the MMO in consultation with Natural England.