1.15. Infrastructure and Other Users

  1. The infrastructure and other users Array EIA chapter considers the impact of the Array on the following:
  • displacement of coastal recreational activities (e.g. surfing) due to safety zones and advisory safe passing distances within the Array resulting in a loss of recreational resource;
  • bathing waters;
  • wave and tidal projects;
  • natural gas storage, underground gasification and coal deposits;
  • subsea telecommunication cables;
  • marine disposal sites; and
  • marine aggregate extraction sites.
  1. Information on infrastructure and other users was collected through a detailed desktop review of existing studies and datasets through consultation. Due to the distance offshore from the east coast of Scotland (approximately 80 km), the level of recreational activity with the Array is low, and recreational fishing is likely to be limited.
  2. The closest active/in operation offshore wind farm projects to the Array are the Seagreen 1, Kincardine and Hywind Offshore Wind Farms. There are three active hydrocarbon licence blocks that overlap with the infrastructure and other users study area – inner area. There are no wave and tidal projects, no active or disused subsea telecommunication cables, currently no active licences for marine aggregate extraction in the Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay marine region or carbon capture and storage sites and natural gas storage sites.
  3. The potential impacts on infrastructure and other users, associated with the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning phases of the Array, included:
  • displacement of recreational sailing and motor cruising, recreational fishing (boat angling) and other recreational activities (diving vessels); and
  • restricted access to active licence blocks by oil and gas operators either temporarily or long term.
  1. With the proposed designed in measures in place, all these impacts result in effects of minor adverse significance (not significant in EIA terms).
  2. Cumulative impacts arising from the Array together with other projects and plans were assessed and predicted to result in effects of minor adverse significance (not significant in EIA terms).
  3. No transboundary effects with regard to infrastructure and other users from the Array on the interests of EEA states were predicted.