The Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020

Post-construction monitoring E+W

19.—(1) The undertaker must in discharging condition 13(1)(f) submit a post-construction monitoring plan or plans for written approval by the MMO in consultation with the relevant statutory nature conservation body including details of proposed post-construction surveys, including methodologies (including appropriate buffers, where relevant) and timings, and a proposed format, content and timings for providing reports on the results. The survey proposals must be in general accordance with the principles set out in the in-principle monitoring plan and must specify each survey's objectives and explain how it will assist in either informing a useful and valid comparison with the preconstruction position and/or will enable the validation or otherwise of key predictions in the environmental statement.

(2) Subject to receipt of specific proposals the post-construction survey plan or plans must include, in outline—

(a) a survey to determine any change in the location, extent and composition of any biogenic or geogenic reef feature identified in the pre-construction survey in the parts of the offshore Order limits in which construction works were carried out. The survey design must be informed by the results of the pre-construction benthic survey;

(b) any marine mammal monitoring required by the plan for marine mammal monitoring submitted in accordance with condition 13(1)(k);

(c) any ornithological monitoring required by the Ornithological Monitoring Plans submitted in accordance with condition 13(1)(l);

(d) details of vessel traffic monitoring by automatic identification system, for a period of 28 individual days taking account seasonal variations in traffic patterns over the course of one year to be submitted to the MMO, Trinity House and the MCA no later than one year following completion of the construction phase of the authorised development;

(e) a full sea floor coverage swath-bathymetry survey of the areas within which construction activity has taken place in order to inform of any dropped objects or residual navigational risk to be submitted to the MMO and MCA;

(f) a bathymetric survey to monitor the effectiveness of archaeological exclusion zones identified to have been potentially impacted by construction works. The data shall be analysed by an accredited archaeologist as defined in the offshore written scheme of investigation required under condition 13(2);

(g) a high resolution swath bathymetric and side scan sonar survey to determine any change to the seabed morphology and composition around a representative number of WTG foundations within muddy sediments of the outer Silver Pit and Markham's Hole features, in accordance with the scour monitoring detailed within the in-principle monitoring plan; and

(h) a high resolution swath-bathymetric and side scan sonar survey to determine any change and recovery in the composition of any preferred sandeel habitat identified in the pre-construction survey in the parts of the offshore Order limits in which sandwave clearance activity has been carried out. The survey design must be informed by the results of the pre-construction benthic survey.

(3) The undertaker must carry out the surveys agreed under condition 19(1) 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 the relevant statutory nature conservation body.

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 11 Pt. 2 para. 19 in force at 22.1.2021, see art. 1