The Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020

Post-construction monitoring E+W

20.—(1) The undertaker must in discharging condition 14(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) details of a high-resolution swath bathymetric survey to be undertaken no sooner than 6 months following completion of construction works and disposal activities were carried out under this licence to assess recovery of sandwave features within any designated site, and any changes bathymetric profile in designated sites following application of cable protection material. The need for further surveys must be agreed in writing with the MMO following submission of the first year of survey data;

(b) details of 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;

(c) details of a survey to determine the recovery of any benthic features of ecological importance within designated sites, following cable burial and excavation of HDD exit pits, and to assess degree colonisation of cable protection material as detailed within the in-principle monitoring plan. The survey design must be informed by the results of the pre-construction benthic survey. The need for further surveys must be agreed in writing with the MMO following submission of the first year of survey data;

(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) details of 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 14(2);

(g) a high resolution swath-bathymetric and side scan sonar survey to determine any change 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; and

(h) a swath bathymetric survey to IHO Order 1a of the installed export cable route and provision of the data and survey report(s) to the MMO, MCA and UKHO.

(3) The undertaker must carry out the surveys specified within the post-construction monitoring plan or plans in accordance with that plan or plans, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the MMO in consultation with the relevant statutory nature conservation body.

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 12 Pt. 2 para. 20 in force at 22.1.2021, see art. 1