1. Introduction

1.1. Overview of the Array

  1. In January 2022, Ossian Offshore Wind Farm Limited (Ossian OWFL) (hereafter referred to as the ‘Applicant') was awarded an Option to Lease Agreement to develop Ossian, an offshore wind farm within the E1 East Plan Option (PO) Area as part of the ScotWind Leasing Round. This project (hereafter referred to as ‘Ossian’) is a joint venture between SSE Renewables Limited (SSER), Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and Marubeni Corporation.
  2. Ossian is a proposed offshore wind farm located off the east coast of Scotland, approximately 80 km south-east from the nearest point of Aberdeen (see Figure 1.1   Open ▸ ). The Array is located within the site boundary and includes the offshore infrastructure required to generate electricity including the wind turbines (including their floating substructures, as well as the mooring and anchoring systems), the fixed bottom Offshore Substation Platforms (OSPs), and inter-array and interconnector cables. The Array is the subject of this Report to Inform Appropriate Assessment (RIAA).
  3. In March 2024, as part of the ongoing National Grid Holistic Network Design Follow Up Exercise (HNDFUE), National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) published their Transitional Centralised Strategic Network Plan (TCSNP) in the ‘Beyond 2030’ report (National Grid ESO, 2024). Beyond 2030 sets out National Grid ESO’s recommendations to achieve a decarbonised electricity network.
  4. The proposed grid design aims to facilitate transmission of a number of offshore wind farm projects. Within this publication it was confirmed that Ossian will be offered two grid connection locations in Lincolnshire, one at Weston Marsh and one at the Lincolnshire Connection Node.
  5. Onshore and offshore route optioneering work has now commenced to determine appropriate offshore and onshore export cable corridors, and locations for proposed substation locations. As part of this Ossian has initiated engagement with key stakeholders in Lincolnshire to inform early design and site selection considerations
  6. Therefore, the Proposed offshore export cable corridor(s) and Proposed onshore transmission infrastructure (comprising the Proposed onshore export cable corridor(s), Proposed onshore converter station and the Proposed landfall location(s)) will be subject to separate consent applications in due course, including separate Likely Significant Effects (LSE2) Screening Reports and associated RIAAs. In-combination effects of the Proposed offshore export cable corridor(s) and Proposed onshore transmission infrastructure will be considered insofar as practicable on the basis of available information in the in-combination assessment forming part of the RIAA.

Figure 1.1:
Location of the Site Boundary, where the Array will be Located

Figure 1.1: Location of the Site Boundary, where the Array will be Located


1.2. Habitats regulations appraisal overview

  1. Following the departure of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) on 31 December 2020 (EU Exit), the UK is no longer an EU Member State. Notwithstanding, the Habitats Regulations, which implemented the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) in the UK,, continues to form the legislative basis for the domestic HRA regime. The changes implemented by EU Exit Regulations have implemented only minor changes to the HRA regime compared to before EU Exit. These changes are not considered to have material implications on the requirement or process for a HRA in relation to the Array.
  2. The Habitats Regulations require that an Appropriate Assessment must be carried out on all plans and projects that are likely to have a significant effect on a European site. European sites include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), candidate SACs (cSACs), Sites of Community Importance (SCI), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and, as a matter of policy (Scottish Government, 2020), possible SACs (pSACs), potential SPAs (pSPAs) and Ramsar Sites (listed under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance – where also designated as a European site).
  3. In this RIAA, and in accordance with EU Exit guidance issued by the Scottish Government, the term “European site” has been retained to refer to the above sites protected in European Member States, Scotland and the rest of the UK (Scottish Government, 2020). However, where these sites are located in the UK, they now form part of the National Site Network. Post EU-Exit, the Habitats Regulations continue to refer to Annexes I and II of the Habitats Directive and Annex I of the Birds Directive and as such, reference is made to the annexes of the Habitats and Birds Directives in this report.

1.3. Purpose of this RIAA

  1. This RIAA has been prepared by RPS and Niras on behalf of the Applicant to support the HRA of the Array in the determination of the implications upon European sites. This RIAA builds upon the Array HRA Stage One LSE2 Screening Report (appendix 1A), completed in March 2023, and the subsequent advice from stakeholders received in the Ossian Array Scoping Opinion from May to June 2023 (Marine Directorate – Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT, 2023)). This RIAA represents Stage Two of the HRA process and assesses the LSE2s of the Array as they relate to the integrity of the relevant European sites. This RIAA will provide the competent authority with the information required to undertake a HRA Stage Two Appropriate Assessment (see section 2.3 for more detail on the HRA process).
  2. The scope of this RIAA covers all relevant European sites and relevant qualifying interest features where LSE2s have been identified due to impacts arising from the Array. This includes both ‘offshore’ European site and features (seaward of Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) and ‘onshore’ European sites (landward of Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS) where appropriate.  

1.4. Progress to Date

  1. A Array HRA Stage One LSE2 Screening Report has been produced for the Array in accordance with the Habitats Regulations (appendix 1A). The purpose of the LSE2 Screening exercise was to determine whether the Array could result in a LSE2 on any European site, with reference to its conservation objectives. The LSE2 Screening exercise determined that LSEs from impacts associated with the Array could not be discounted at Stage One, and European sites where LSE2s could not be ruled out were carried forward to Stage Two.
  2. The Array HRA Stage One LSE2 Screening Report (appendix 1A) presents the LSE2 Screening exercise, the purpose of which is summarised below:
  • Identification of the relevant European sites which may include features (e.g. Annex I habitats, ornithology features, Annex II diadromous fish, and Annex II marine mammals) which may be sensitive or vulnerable to potential impacts arising from all phases of the Array;
  • Consideration of the features of relevant European sites and identification of those which are not considered likely to be at risk of significant effects arising from the array, either alone or in-combination with other plans and projects, so that they could be eliminated from further assessment within the HRA process;
  • Consideration of features of relevant European sites and identification of those which are considered likely to be at risk of significant effects so that they could be carried forwards to HRA Stage Two Appropriate Assessment in this RIAA; and
  • Consideration of which of the potential impacts arising from the Array (alone or in-combination with other plans and projects) were likely to result in LSE2s to features of European sites and which impacts could be eliminated from further assessment in the HRA process[1].
  1. The HRA process is iterative. Since the Array HRA Stage One LSE2 Screening Report was shared with consultees in March 2023, aspects of the design of the Array have evolved (see section 4). Consultation representation and advice with respect to the Array HRA Stage One LSE2 Screening Report were received along with the Ossian Array Scoping Opinion in June 2023 (MD-LOT, 2023). The potential implications of design changes on the LSE2 Screening exercise have been considered and a summary of the LSE2 Screening exercise for the Array is provided in the relevant sections of this RIAA (i.e. Part 2 for SACs and Part 3 for SPAs). Any changes to the LSE2 Screening outcomes presented in the Array HRA Stage One LSE2 Screening Report (appendix 1A) have been made as a result of consultation are highlighted in the relevant Parts of the RIAA, with all consultation to date presented, where relevant to SACs and SPAs, in Part 2 and Part 3, respectively.

1.5. Structure of this RIAA

  1. For clarity and ease of navigation, this RIAA has been structured and reported in the below ‘Parts’, as follows:
  • Executive Summary;
  • Part 1 (this document): Introduction ;
  • Part 2: SAC assessments; and
  • Part 3: SPA and Ramsar site assessments.

1.6. Structure of this Document

  1. As stated in paragraph 15, this document constitutes Part 1 of the RIAA, and provides an introduction to the Array and the HRA process. This document is structured as follows:
  • Section 1: Introduction (this section) which describes the Array and establishes the requirement for, the purpose, and the structure of the RIAA;
  • Section 2: The HRA Process, which sets out the process, principles, tests, and guidance applied to the RIAA;
  • Section 3: Consultation, which provides a summary of the relevant consultation undertaken to date; and
  • Section 4: Information on the Array, which provides information about the design of the Array relevant to the RIAA, including relevant maximum design parameters and any design updates since the Array HRA Stage One LSE2 Screening.