Assessment of Significance (supersedes Volume 1, Chapter 7, Section 7.11)
180. The potential impacts arising from the construction phase of the Proposed Development on the scoped-in IEF and the likely significance of the effects of the Proposed Development on ecological receptors caused by each identified impact is given below.
181. Impacts on designated sites and habitats may include direct losses e.g. permanent land-take for the onshore substation and other infrastructure, SuDS wetland creation, temporary land-take for access tracks, laydown areas and construction site compounds. Negative impacts on habitats can also be indirect e.g., through habitat fragmentation. It is estimated that of the total habitat loss under the temporary and permanent footprint of works (c. 58.5 ha), 77.2% of this will be temporary such as access tracks and site compounds and will be restored at the end of the construction period.
182. All habitat loss calculations are presented in Table 3.3 (supersedes Table 7.20, Volume 1, Chapter 7), with habitat IEFs brought forward for assessment shown in bold[2]. As in Table 3.1, the ecology study area is defined as the potential works areas and a 250 m buffer. Note that the figures in the tables have been rounded to the nearest two digits but calculations have been completed using the unrounded figures.
Table 3.3: Estimated Loss of Habitat from Proposed Development Infrastructure
Phase 1 Habitat | Extent in Ecology Study Area | Direct Habitat Loss Permanent Works Areas (ha) | Direct Habitat Loss Temporary Works (ha) | Total Direct Permanent and Temporary Habitat Loss (% of Total Extent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Broadleaved, semi-natural woodland | 11.19 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.93 |
Broadleaved, plantation woodland | 1.60 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.63 |
Coniferous, semi-natural woodland | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Coniferous, plantation woodland | 2.67 | 0.00 | 0.22 | 8.24 |
Mixed, semi-natural woodland | 2.83 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Mixed, plantation woodland | 0.70 | 0.02 | 0.09 | 15.71 |
Dense/Continuous Scrub | 13.14 | 0.04 | 0.19 | 0.82 |
Scattered scrub | 3.24 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 3.73 |
Semi-improved neutral grassland | 39.56 | 0.04 | 7.19 | 17.92 |
Improved grassland | 208.03 | 6.55 | 19.29 | 12.41 |
Bracken (continuous) | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Tall ruderal | 0.24 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Standing water | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Running water (km) | 10.48 | 0.00 | 0.32 | 3.05 |
Intertidal mud/sand | 4.16 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Intertidal boulders/rocks | 21.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Shingle above high tide mark | 0.23 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Coastal grassland | 3.29 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Arable | 126.23 | 6.07 | 17.31 | 18.52 |
Species-poor hedgerow (intact and defunct) (km) | 7.36 | 0.46 | 0.59 | 14.16 |
Wall (km) | 7.79 | 0.00 | 0.44 | 5.65 |
Buildings | 1.87 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Bare ground | 1.88 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Other (incl. roads/railway and grounds of properties) | 28.08 | 0.64 | 0.69 | 4.72 |
Total | 470.25 ha | 13.35 ha | 45.12 ha |
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Please note approximate lengths of linear features (e.g., walls, hedgerows, watercourses) are provided in km but are excluded from habitat area totals in table. | ||||