7.2.8. Potential Cumulative Effects

  1. All impacts identified on an in-isolation basis will be considered within the NRA for the potential for cumulative effects. In terms of cumulative projects to be included, other developments within 50 nm of the site boundary will be screened in or out of the cumulative assessment based on a number of factors, including:
  • status of development;
  • data confidence level;
  • proximity to the Array; and
  • location relative to routeing passing the Array.

7.2.9. Potential Transboundary Impacts

  1. A screening of transboundary impacts has been carried out and is presented in Appendix 3. This screening exercise identified that there is the potential for transboundary impacts upon shipping and navigation due to construction, operational and maintenance, and decommissioning impacts of the Array. These will be considered within the in-isolation assessment, and cumulatively with the presence of other offshore developments and activities within the cumulative assessment.

7.2.10. Scoping Questions to Consultees

  1. The following questions are posed to consultees to frame and focus responses to the shipping and navigation scoping exercise, which will in turn inform the Scoping Opinion:
  • Do you agree with the data sources, including project-specific surveys, to be used to characterise the shipping and navigation baseline within the NRA and Array EIA?
  • Do you agree that all potential impacts (hazards and associated risks) have been identified for shipping and navigation?
  • Do you agree with the proposed approach to assessment?
  • Do you agree with the approach to screening other developments in or out of the cumulative assessment?
  • Do you have any additional comments relating to the use of floating technology specifically and potential associated additional mitigation options (e.g., operational safety zones) in relation to navigational safety impacts?

7.2.11. Next Steps

  1. As required under MGN 654, an NRA will be prepared for the Array. This will include a completed MGN 654 checklist to demonstrate that all requirements under MGN 654 have been met.
  2. Vessel traffic data will be analysed as per MGN 654 requirements, with 14 days from December 2022 already collected and a further 14 days to be collected in summer 2023.
  3. The NRA process will include consultation as required under MGN 654. As a minimum this is anticipated to include the following consultees, however additional parties may be consulted as directed by the NRA process:
  • MCA;
  • NLB;
  • Chamber of Shipping;
  • RYA Scotland;
  • Regular users of the area;
  • Relevant ports;
  • Hazard Workshop (local stakeholders) and
  • Liaison with relevant fishing users/organisations via the FLO.
  1. In addition to MGN 654-compliant vessel traffic data, data sources not considered at the scoping stage that will be considered as part of the NRA process include:
  • RYA Coastal Atlas (RYA, 2019b);
  • Long-term MAIB incident data (20 years); and
  • Relevant output of the consultation process.
  1. The approach to shipping and navigation post-Scoping consultation is described in the dSEP (Appendix 1).