environmental statement chapter 4 appendix b - forewind cumulative

F-OFC-CH-004 Appendix B Issue 2 Chapter 4 Page i © 2013 Forewind

August 2013

Environmental Statement Chapter 4 Appendix B - Forewind Cumulative Impact Assessment Strategy - Onshore Application Reference: 6.4.2

DOGGER BANK CREYKE BECK

F-OFC-CH-004 Appendix B Issue 2 Chapter 4 Page ii © 2013 Forewind

Title: Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Environmental Statement Chapter 4 Appendix B - Forewind Cumulative Impact Assessment Strategy - Onshore

Contract No. (if applicable) Forewind

Document Number: F-OFC-CH-004 Appendix B

Issue No: 2

Issue Date: 30-Aug-13

Status: Issued for 1st. Technical Review Issued for 2nd. Technical Review

Issued for PEI3 Issued for Application Submission

Prepared by: Royal Haskoning

Checked by: (Forewind) Tamsyn Rowe

Approved by: Jon Allen

Signature / Approval (Forewind)

Mark Thomas

Approval Date: 30-Aug-13

Revision History

Date Issue No. Remarks / Reason for Issue Author Checked Approved

09-Jan-13 1 Issued for Approval JA

30-Aug-13 2 Issued for Application Submission JA


F-OFC-CH-004 Appendix B © 2013 Forewind Chapter Page v

Contents

1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................. 1

1.2 Background ......................................................................................................... 1

1.3 Developing a CIA Strategy .................................................................................. 2

2 CIA STRATEGY ............................................................................................................ 4

2.1 Forewind‟s approach to onshore CIA .................................................................. 4

3 References .................................................................................................................. 11

Table of Tables

Table 2.1 A ranking scale for assessing confidence in data and information .............. 4

Table 2.2 Cumulative Impact Assessment Screening ................................................. 6

Table 2.3 Projects taken forward for the CIA ............................................................ 10


F-OFC-CH-004 Appendix B Chapter Page 1 © 2013 Forewind

1 Introduction

1.1 Overview

1.1.1 This document sets out Forewind‟s proposed scope of works for the Cumulative

Impact Assessment (CIA) for Dogger Bank Creyke Beck onshore works including

transmission and grid connection. The strategy only relates to the onshore

components of Dogger Bank Creyke Beck A and B.

1.2 Background

1.2.1 In June 2008, The Crown Estate announced proposals for the third round (Round 3)

of offshore wind farm leasing, following on from the 8 gigawatts (GW) planned from

earlier United Kingdom (UK) offshore wind leasing programmes (namely, Rounds 1

and 2). Subsequent to this announcement, a Strategic Environmental Assessment

(SEA) to examine the potential for 25GW of additional UK offshore wind was carried

out.

1.2.2 Under the Round 3 process, nine development „zones‟ were identified by The Crown

Estate, with a combined target energy generation capacity of 25GW. On the 8th

January 2010, following a competitive tender process, The Crown Estate announced

the successful bidders for each of the Zones. Forewind Limited (Forewind) was

awarded the development rights for the largest Zone; Dogger Bank. Forewind‟s

commitment is to secure all the necessary consents for the construction and

development of the Dogger Bank Zone.

1.2.3 Forewind has a target to achieve consent for 9GW of projects in the Dogger Bank

zone. Through its ZAP process, Forewind has identified two up to 1.2GW projects

(jointly known as Dogger Bank Creyke Beck) that are expected to be the subject of a

single planning application in 2013.

1.2.4 A grid connection offer was made to connect both projects to the existing National

Grid Electricity Transmission 400kV substation at Creyke Beck, near Cottingham in

the East Riding of Yorkshire.

1.2.5 The main onshore components of Dogger Bank Creyke Beck include:

Joint transition bay – the location where the offshore export cable connects to

the onshore cable system. This is located on the Holderness Coast

(approximately 300m inland) to the north of Ulrome

High Voltage Direct Current onshore cable route (comprising two buried cable

systems) - between the joint transition bay and the onshore converter stations;

Up to two converter stations (one for each project), to convert the High Voltage

Direct Current to High Voltage Alternating Current. The converter stations are

to be located near Cottingham;



High Voltage Alternating Current cable route (comprising two buried cable

systems) - from the onshore converter stations to the existing National Grid

Electricity Transmission substation at Creyke Beck; and

Possible extension works at the existing Creyke Beck substation – these are

considered at a high level within the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck proposals; a

separate consenting exercise for these possible works will be undertaken by

National Grid at a later date.

1.3 Developing a CIA Strategy

1.3.1 In Advice Note 9 – Using the „Rochdale Envelope‟, the Planning Inspectorate states –

“In assessing cumulative impacts, other major development should be

identified…on the basis of those that are:

under construction;

permitted application(s), but not yet implemented;

submitted application(s) not yet determined;

projects on the Commission‟s Programme of Projects;

identified in the relevant Development Plan (and emerging

Development Plans - with appropriate weight being given as they move

closer to adoption) recognising that much information on any relevant

proposals will be limited; and

sites identified in other policy documents, as development reasonably

likely to come forward.”

1.3.2 It is worth noting that the same advice note also states –

“In preparing such information, it should not be forgotten that the purpose of an

EIA is to inform the decision making process. The EIA should be clear and

practical „so that it assists, and not confuses, the decision making process.”

1.3.3 This appears to be in line with CIA guidance issued by the European Commission in

1999, which stated CIA should cover:

“impacts that result from incremental changes caused by other past, present or

reasonably foreseeable actions together with the project in question”.

1.3.4 Further extracts from relevant guidance include -

“An assessment specific development proposal should be limited to the effects

of the proposal in combination with:

existing development, either built or under construction;

approved development, awaiting implementation; and

proposals awaiting determination within the planning process, and thus

for which design information is in the public domain. Proposals and

design information may be deemed to be in the public domain once an

application has been lodged, and the decision-making authority has

formally registered the application.” (Scottish Natural Heritage, 2005)



“The outermost limit for including projects in a cumulative assessment is

speculative proposals where for example a formal scoping opinion has been

provided and thus the principle of a proposal is within the public domain, and

even then, only on certain occasions. Anything more speculative than that can

at best only be treated as a material consideration, but even then only where

the proposals are in the public domain and "well articulated in terms of location

and scale” (Scottish Natural Heritage, 2005).

1.3.5 The following advice has been considered for geographical and temporal scale

(taken from Hyder (1999) - Guidelines for the Assessment of Indirect and Cumulative

Impacts as well as Impact Interactions - produced for the EC):

1.3.6 Spatial Extent – Geographical boundaries will depend on:

the nature of the project;

the nature of the impacts;

sensitivity of the receiving environment;

availability of data; and

natural boundaries.

1.3.7 Temporal Extent – the guidance states:

“In setting the future time boundary it is suggested that in general, beyond 5

years there is too much uncertainty associated with most development

proposals. It is therefore recommended that in the majority of cases the limit

does not exceed 5 years into the future.”



2 CIA STRATEGY

2.1 Forewind’s approach to onshore CIA

2.1.1 In its simplest form the strategy involves consideration of:

Whether impacts on a receptor can occur on a cumulative basis between the

onshore elements of Dogger Bank Creyke Beck and other activities, projects

and plans for which sufficient information regarding location and scale exist

2.1.2 The strategy recognises that data and information sufficient to undertake an

assessment will not be available for all potential projects, activities, plans and/or

parameters, and seeks to establish the „confidence‟ that can be placed in the data

and information available.

Defining ‘Confidence’ in the context of Forewind’s CIA strategy

2.1.3 A simple „High‟, „Medium‟ „Low‟ and „Very Low‟ ranking scale has been used to

provide an overview of the confidence we have in the data and information that can

be used to underpin impact assessment. The ranking is presented in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1 A ranking scale for assessing confidence in data and information

Data/information confidence

Types of data/information

High Peer reviewed and/or industry standard third party quantitative, semi-quantitative or qualitative data. Forewind‟s own project details and third party project details published in the public domain and confirmed as being „accurate‟ by the developer.

Medium Third party data supplied to or obtained by Forewind that has not been subject to peer review and cannot be quality controlled by Forewind (e.g. survey data from other developers). Third party project details published in the public domain but not confirmed as being „accurate‟.

Low There is a lack of robust data and information and/or data quality is outwith Forewind control. In such cases, precautionary worst cases are likely to be required.

Very Low It is possible that a project/activity/plan could be developed in future, but no details or data is available. In this case, a CIA would not be possible. It would only be possible to appraise the idea that something may happen in the future that could contribute to the overall cumulative impact. In such cases, the data/information should not be used in determining consent for a project.

Onshore CIA process

2.1.4 Using the above approach of assessing data and information confidence will allow

Forewind to undertake the cumulative impact assessment as a two-step process as

follows:



Screening

2.1.5 Individual plans, projects and activities within 10 km1 of the onshore works have been

identified based on information held on the planning portal and identified with relevant

development plans. The list has been appraised, based on the confidence Forewind

has in being able to undertake an assessment from the information and data

available – this exercise is presented in Table 2.2.

2.1.6 Where Forewind is aware that a plan, project or activity could take place in the future,

but has no information on how the plan, project or activity will be executed, it is

proposed that it is screened out of further assessment.

Assessment

2.1.7 All projects, activities and plans with medium to high confidence data and/or project

information are included in the CIA. These are summarised in Table 2.3.

2.1.8 Projects or plans where there is high confidence in data and low confidence in

information of the project/plan (or vice versa) will be considered on a case by case

basis during the screening phase to determine whether confidence is high enough to

include within the assessment and still provide a result which aids the decision

making process.

1 The onshore elements of other offshore wind farms (e.g. Hornsea and Westermost Rough) are beyond 10km from

Dogger Bank Creyke Beck‟s onshore works and are therefore screened out of the onshore CIA. However, these projects are considered in more detail in the offshore CIA.



Table 2.2 Cumulative Impact Assessment Screening

Type of project Project title / details Project status Predicted construction period

Distance from Dogger bank Creyke Beck

Confidence in project details

Confidence in project data

Carried forward to CIA?

Under construction

Onshore wind farm

Hall Wind Farm Erection of 12 wind turbines (60m to hub 100m to tip) wind turbine

Under construction

2012

200m west of cable route Hall Farm, Routh, East Riding Of Yorkshire

High High Yes

Full planning application

Onshore wind turbine

12/02460/PLF Erection of 34.2m high (24.6m to hub 34.2m to tip) wind turbine

Pending Consideration

Unknown

5km north of converter stations site Park House Farm Malton Road Molescroft East Riding Of Yorkshire HU17 7RA

Low / Medium

Low No, given separation distance


12/02358/PLF Erection of a wind turbine (height 36.6m to hub and 46.3m to tip) and associated infrastructure

Pending Consideration

Unknown

7km west of cable route Watton Abbey Farm Little Lane Watton East Riding Of Yorkshire YO25 9AG

Low / Medium

Low No, given separation distance

Highway improvements

Beverley Relief Road 11/04232/STPLFE Provision of new highway extending from Victoria Road Roundabout on the A164 for 2.84km to a new roundabout junction with the A1174 south of the B1230 junction.

Application Approved

2013 / 2014 2km north of converter stations site

Medium Medium Yes








Scoping

Carbon Capture and Storage Pipeline (onshore works)

National Grid Carbon Ltd - 64km buried carbon capture pipeline with block valves between Doncaster and the Holderness coast, and coastal pumping station to re-pressurise carbon dioxide.

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project in pre-application phase. Consent application for onshore works circa 2013.

2014 onwards

2km to the north of the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck landfall (the closest point of the two schemes)

Medium Low Yes

Onshore wind turbines

Low Bonwick Farm Wind Turbines 12/03343/EIASCO Scoping opinion request - 3 wind turbines maximum tip height 125m

n/a Unknown

2km east of cable route Low Bonwick Farm Skipsea Road Bewholme East Riding Of Yorkshire YO25 8EE

Low / Medium

Low / Medium

Yes


12/02749/EIASCO Erection of 2 wind turbines - EIA Scoping Opinion

n/a Unknown

3km west of cable route Decoy House Farm Watton Carrs Watton East Riding Of Yorkshire YO25 9RQ

Low Low

No, given lack of project detail

Housing development

12/02487/EIASCO Scoping enquiry regarding a medipark, key worker housing, residential units, community facilities, retail/medical centre and a care home

Pending consideration

Unknown

6km south of converter stations site Playing Fields Castle Road Cottingham East Riding Of Yorkshire

Low Low No, given separation distance








Onshore wind

12/01395/EIASCO Cold Harbour Farm Cold Harbour Road Bishop Burton East Riding Of Yorkshire HU17 8QA

n/a Unknown

5km north west of converter station(s) Cold Harbour Farm Cold Harbour Road Bishop Burton East Riding Of Yorkshire HU17 8QA


Screening

Grid reinforcement

12/03070/OHL Erection of an additional pole to support an electrical transformer and installation of associated underground cables

Pending Consideration 29 Jun 2012

Unknown

5km north of converter stations site Land West Of Molescroft Grange Farm House Grange Way Molescroft East Riding Of Yorkshire



12/00932/EIASCR Single wind turbine (Size unknown)

Screening 27 Feb 2012

Unknown

2km east of cable route Manor Farm Skipsea Lane Dunnington East Riding Of Yorkshire YO25 8EG

Low Low



12/00627/EIASCR Erection of a 46m (to tip) wind turbine

Screening 09 Feb 2012

Unknown

2km west of the existing Creyke Beck substation Cottingham Parks Golf And Leisure Club Woodhill Way Cottingham East Riding Of Yorkshire HU16 5SX

Low Low









Aggregate extraction

11/05755/EIASCR Screening opinion for sand and gravel extraction

Screening Wed 07 Dec 2011

Unknown

2.5km south east of cable route Land South West Of Fosse Hill Caravan Site Catwick Lane Brandesburton East Riding Of Yorkshire

Low Low



11/05636/EIASCR Erection of 2 wind turbines

Screening Thu 24 Nov 2011

Unknown Unknown Low Low




Table 2.3 Projects taken forward for the CIA

Type of project Project title / details Distance from Dogger Bank Creyke Beck

Onshore wind farm

Hall Wind Farm Erection of 12 wind turbines (60m to hub 100m to tip) wind turbine

200m west of cable route Hall Farm, Routh, East Riding Of Yorkshire

Highway improvements

Beverley Relief Road 11/04232/STPLFE Provision of new highway extending from Victoria Road Roundabout on the A164 for 2.84km to a new roundabout junction with the A1174 south of the B1230 junction.

2km north of converter station(s)


Wind Turbine Cluster at Lon Bonwick 12/03343/EIASCO Scoping opinion request - 3 wind turbines maximum tip height 125m

2km east of cable route Low Bonwick Farm Skipsea Road Bewholme East Riding Of Yorkshire YO25 8EE

Carbon Capture and Storage

National Grid Carbon Capture and Storage 64km buried carbon capture pipeline with block valves between Doncaster and the Holderness coast, and coastal pumping station to re-pressurise carbon dioxide.

2km to the north of the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck landfall (the closest point of the two schemes)



3 References

Hyder (1999) Guidelines for the assessment of indirect and cumulative impacts as well as

impact interactions. European Commission.

Scottish Natural Heritage (2005) Cumulative effects of wind farms

environmental statement chapter 4 appendix b - forewind cumulative

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