'NEGLIGIBLE' BIRD IMPACT PROJECTED FOR NEW WINDFARM OFF SUSSEX COAST

                                                     

 BLADES on the  first of 116 turbines have this week begun turning at e.on’s Rampion offshore windfarm located in the English Channel between eight and 16 miles off seaside towns Brighton and Worthing..

The £1.3-billion project has been named after the round-headed rampion which is the county flower of Sussex.

                                                       

Round-headed rampion

The new development was the focus of controversy in October this year when the film-director husband of pop-singer Adele, Simon Konecki, posted a video complaining that 40ft trenches dug to accommodate power cables had despoiled the South Downs National Park.

However, once cable-laying has been completed, the trenches will be filled and the land restored to its former state. 

Prior to being given the go-ahead an ornithological impact assessment was undertaken on behalf of the developer by a leading UK consultancy, Cheshire-based RSK.

The survey  is described as “worst case scenario” to account for any uncertainties in the project design and to ensure that the magnitude of all impacts is “not underestimated”.

The report lists the main potential ornithological impacts as: 

•  Disturbance and displacement of birds from the wind farm site and its surrounds
•  Mortality through collision with the wind turbines, a barrier effect (such that bird flight routes are diverted around the wind farm site)
•  Changes to the birds’ habitat/food supply

It states that disturbance of birds could occur up to 4km from the wind turbines during the construction and operational phases and that construction activities (e.g. piling and an increase in boat traffic) will result in noise and vibration which has the potential to disturb and displace bird species.

It further notes that presence of plant and personnel on site may also cause localised disturbance throughout construction.

“In all cases, such disturbance impacts are likely to be temporary and exist only when vessels are on site and/or particular construction activities are being undertaken.

“Therefore, birds may readily redistribute in periods of less intense or no activity during the construction period.”

The document continues: “Construction would not take place simultaneously over the whole site and therefore impacts would not be expected to occur over the whole of the project site over the whole of the construction period.

“Rather they would be more restricted to smaller areas of activity at any particular time.”

The survey does not seek to address any potential impact on night-migrating songbirds and other passerines but focuses  on the following maritime species thought to be most at potential risk. 

                                             

         

                                                

Gannet

There is a potential ecological link to the Alderney West Coast and the Burhou Islands  site (where there is a breeding colony of 5,950 pairs). Given low numbers within the site and a buffer of up to 4km - any temporary loss of a very small part of that range would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.

Sandwich Tern

This is a qualifying species of both the Solent Marshes and Southampton Water Special Protection Area and the Chichester and Langston Harbours Special Protection Area. The proposed project site lies beyond the usual foraging range of both of these sites. As a result any disturbance effect during construction would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.

Common Tern

Ditto Sandwich Tern

Arctic Tern

Most records of this Annex 1 species were from a single survey in May, 2010, when a higher number of migrants passing through the survey area were observed (sufficient to be considered regionally important). Apart from this however, use of the survey area by this species was very low. Any disturbance effect during construction would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.

Kittiwake

Present in the survey area in regionally important numbers. Given that it has such a wide foraging range, the temporary loss of a small part of that range would be of negligible magnitude and not significant, even if there were displacement over a zone of up to 4km of any construction activity.

Guillemot

Present in the survey area in nationally important

numbers but is not clearly linked to any specific Special Protection Area.Peak numbers were recorded during late winter/spring with fewer during the summer and autumn. The potential impact zone relating to construction disturbance (the wind turbine locations plus up to a 4km buffer) held densities slightly higher than the wider study area, with no

indication that any part of that zone was of particular importance to this species. Given this and considering that it has a wide foraging range the temporary loss of a very small part of that range would be of negligible magnitude and not significant, even if there were displacement over a 2km zone

during construction.

Razorbill

Ditto Guillemot

Little Gull

Mostly a spring migrant through the survey area, with peak counts in April each year The peak count (168) was sufficient to be classed as regionally important, and this species is listed on Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive.

Most individuals were recorded in the more inshore parts of the survey area and in the eastern part. Any disturbance effect during construction would be of negligible magnitude

and not significant.

Red-throated Diver

There were no records of this Annex 1 species within 2km of the wind farm site and a peak of only 13 within 4km,  Given such low numbers and infrequent occurrence, any disturbance effect during construction would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.

Great Skua

This species was recorded in regionally important numbers and was widely scattered across most of the survey area, though with more records in the southern part of the survey area in the deeper waters further from the shore. Densities within the potential disturbance zone around the project site were generally lower than in the wider survey area. Any disturbance effect during construction would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.

Great Black-backed Gull

The peak number of this species recorded in the survey

area (4,473) was sufficient to be classed as nationally important. It was widespread across all of the survey area, Given that it has such a wide foraging range the temporary loss of a small part of that range would be of negligible magnitude and not significant, even if there were displacement in a zone of up to 4km around any construction activity.

Common Scoter

Recorded in regionally important numbers within

the survey area, mainly during spring. None was seen within 2km of the project site and only very low densities within 4km.  Any disturbance effect on this species during construction would be of negligible magnitude and not

significant.

Fulmar

Widespread across the whole survey area, and was recorded in regionally important numbers. Densities were similar across the potential disturbance zone and the wider area though numbers were higher in the deeper water to the south of the project site. Any disturbance effect

during construction would be of negligible magnitude and not significant.

Wind speeds are lower than off the Scottish and Welsh Coasts, but, once fully operational, Rampion is projected to generate sufficient electricity to power 346,000 homes.- about half the total number in Sussex.

*Photo of round-headed campion: Courtesy of Hetonichus  via Wikimedia Commons