Draft Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy 2019: consultation analysis report

Appendix B Consultation Event Summaries

Table B1 Topics and questions raised at Consultation Events

Event: London

Topics

• Advisory group
• Ornithology
• Grid infrastructure
• Climate change
• Energy generation targets
• Leasing

Questions

• How have fishers been involved in the process to date?
• What about transmission considerations?
• Implications of the updated foraging ranges produced by The Crown Estate Round 4 Enabling Actions Reports? How does the SMP relate to the Round 4 process?
• How have the maximum capacities per DPO been defined?
• Are we working towards an overall GW generating target?
• Why was SW1 introduced after the scoping consultation?

Event: Kirkcudbright

Topics

• Recreational sailing
• Fisheries
• Climate change
• Port infrastructure
• Socio-economic benefits
• Tourism
• Seascape and landscape

Questions

• Why did SW1 appear post-scoping?
• What has been the engagement with Dumfries and Galloway Council?
• Has wild sea been considered within the planning process?
• Have the proposals for a new National Park in Galloway been considered as part of the process?
• How does this process relate to strategic planning for tidal power?
• Have the Isle of Man been consulted?
• Have E&W been consulted/notified of this process?
• What's happening in E&W at the moment?
• What is the overall target this plan seeks to deliver?
• How did this relate to wider Scottish Government Energy policy?
• Why does the RLG document use the term "may" in relation to visibility from Galloway? Given the distances, surely there is no dubiety regarding potential visibility?
• Data gaps in relation to migratory fish routes - what work is being done to address these? Needs to be carried out prior to projects being constructed - what happens if datasets show worse than predicted impacts - will they be forced to remove the structures? Discussion regarding the planned/ongoing research work on the East and West coasts to look at issues and also in relation to the ScotMER work. Also discussion regarding the future timescales - i.e. 10 years before we see construction, 2-5 years before we see actual applications - time for the emerging research to be completed and considering as part of the process. Cumulative (Electromagnetic Field) EMF impacts. Discussion regarding Programme for Government commitment around the Wild Salmon Strategy and addressing the 12 pressures.
• Will the larger size of the Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) when compared to Robin Rigg result in increased damage to the seabed?
• SEIA - fisheries - Kirkcudbright - 200 people employed - have we looked at the wider supply chain around fisheries?
• What about the Marine Protected Area (MPA) work that is ongoing (around Priority Marine Features (PMF)) and potential cumulative impacts on Kirkcudbright fishers?
• Discussion surrounding whether coexistence is a valid claim by developers, considering the assumptions upon which this Plan is based? Referenced insurance issue raised by fishers at the Newton Stewart event. Is anything likely to change in terms of coexistence as a result of the existing developments?
• This consultation gives the opportunity for fishers to feed it at the earliest, strategic opportunity - rather than at the end when decisions have already been reached.
• D&G Council - why has there been a change in approach?
• SEIA - where will the construction, operation and maintenance jobs be realised? Will it be England or will it be here? Discussion regarding tidal nature of Solway ports and also Scottish Ministers ambitions re: supply chain content. The need for a case regarding regional benefit.
• Is investment in Scottish infrastructure projects by foreign investors a concern for the Scottish Government?
• What if the developer subsequently sells the asset on? Decommissioning arrangements?
• How long will the consent run for? Opportunities for extension/repowering and subsequent consultation and consideration of impacts?
• What about the grid challenge and cable routes to shore?
• What about opportunities for multi-use? E.g. tidal generation in conjunction with Offshore Wind (OW) power?

Event: Stornoway

Topics

• Recreational sailing
• Fisheries
• Ports infrastructure
• Socio economic benefits
• Tourism
• Seascape and landscape

Questions

• How does this plan interact with previous plans for wave and tidal development? Why are plans for offshore wind more progressed? Is the cost reduction still true for floating offshore wind?
• What are the timescales for the adoption of the Plan?
• What about offshore export cables and installation methods, including over areas of hard ground?
• Would you expect challenge regarding potential visual impacts?
• What about the potential interactions with the island licensing regime within 12 nautical miles?
• What are the decommissioning arrangements and requirements placed upon developers?
• Have National Scenic Areas been considered as part of the process?
• How were the constraints identified and weighted? Particular interest in navigation and Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Event: Eyemouth

Topics

• Fishing
• Grid Infrastructure
• Socio-economic benefits
• Leasing

Questions

• Is the 10GW limit for each Draft Plan Option?
• What is it current time scale in terms of getting the windfarms operational?
• Is this the final plan or will it change over time?
• Will mitigation cause constraint for developers when planning their site?
• Will there be enough evidence within 2 years to lift the moratorium for those sites?
• Is the EIA process still set at 2 years?
• Is there a balance between difference sources of power in Scotland?

Event: Ullapool

Topics

• Recreational sailing
• Seascape and landscape
• Socio economic benefits

Questions

• What about the areas previously identified as possible tidal sites?
• Is there no further capacity for onshore wind? Or will this plan mean that there is no more onshore wind?
• What about the grid infrastructure requirements and associated onshore works?
• Which fisheries datasets have been utilised?
• What about market stabilisation?

Event: Shetland

Topics

• Onshore wind energy
• Grid infrastructure and interconnector needs case
• Socio-economic impacts
• Fisheries

Questions

• Overlap with cod spawning grounds in one site - what about protection proposals and potential impacts?
• Why a technology neutral approach to planning?
• What datasets have been used to understand existing fishing effort? ScotMap was not completed in this area.
• How has the socio economic impact assessment been undertaken?
• What about the opportunities to strengthen the existing needs case?
• What are the decommissioning arrangements?

Event: Stirling

Topics

• Fisheries
• Socio-economics
• Natural heritage
• Grid infrastructure
• Implementation mechanisms

Questions

• What's the timeline for Consultation Analysis Report?
• When will the Plan be adopted?
• What is the ScotWind timetable?
• Discussion on Oil and Gas interests, carbon neutrality, navigation, helicopter routes.
• How has grid connection been considered for the sites?
• Discussion on offshore grid, grid connection and charging regime, O+M jobs
• £500m-£2B in SEIA is a wide range, what is it based on?
• Has the resourcing needs for Marine Scotland been factored into the Plan?
• What has the reaction been from the fishing industry? Discussion on assumptions made in assessments and potential for mitigation

Event: Dundee

Topics

• Fisheries
• Socio economics
• Marine mammals
• Grid infrastructure

Questions

• What about grid infrastructure requirements?
• Does the national 10 GW limit include the sites subject to plan-level ornithological mitigation measures?
• If data shows that there is less carrying capacity than originally anticipated - could this have implications for other DPOs not subject to the plan-level ornithological mitigation measures?

Event: Pittenweem

Topics

• Fisheries
• Existing developments
• Grid infrastructure
• Socio economic benefit

Questions

• What about potential impacts of construction and operational noise/vibration on lobsters, prawns and shellfish? Is this being looked at via ScotMER?
• What about looking at mitigation measures being put in place in advance, such as nursery beds and lobster hatcheries - to provide alternative fishing grounds
• What are the decommissioning arrangements?
• What about if fishers are displaced from these areas into current fishery grounds?
• What about floating turbines - greater impact on fisheries - how can these be mitigated?
• What will the cable routes to shore look like? When will they be established/confirmed? What about burial risk assessments and techniques?
• How far back with the individual project-level assessments have to look at fisheries effort - it can change from season to season and 2 years worth of data may not be truly reflective of the value of an area to the region.
• What about a large scale study to look at closure impacts?
• Closure of fishing grounds does not result in seabed recovery - seabed requires turning over by dredgers to maintain productiveness

Event: Peterhead

Topics

• Fisheries
• Existing developments
• Grid infrastructure
• Socio economic benefit
• Ports infrastructure
• Oil and gas

Questions

• NE8 - the north end of this site present a particular concern regarding fisheries, as does NE6

Event: Islay

Topics

• Energy supply
• Landscape impacts
• Marine mammals
• Ornithology
• Socio economic benefit
• Grid infrastructure

Questions

• Do the assessments take account of decarbonisation?
• What will the impact of the development be on the local community?
• What are the chances of SW being selected / developed?
• Islay consumes vast amounts of fuel for Whiskey and other island industries. Given the climate emergency we need to have greener fuel.
• Can some of the electricity generated be diverted to Islay? {we} need to generate x6 the amount we consume to be sustainable.
• Power keeps failing so Islay is vulnerable. [McKeen study on using energy generated in a more local way referenced]
• Islay becoming over dependent on whiskey and tourism and needs another industry.
• Which Minister will make the decision on whether DPO is developed and who would be the successful developer?
• Locals should get the benefit from using "our wind" and not go the same way as whiskey where tax from whiskey revenues goes to UK and Islay sees none of it
• Are there community funds Islay can tap into for renewables development?
• Will the developers be Scottish or international?
• Sceptical the development will provide many new jobs but the deal breaker really is - can Islay tap into the energy generated?
• Impact on sailing routes and concerns about the safety of sailing amongst wind turbines?
• Will Ministers stipulate the successful developer must demonstrate community benefit?
• Islay energy trust are very keen to welcome developers who will bring energy to Islay.
• How would the site / sites link to the grid? Is that going to be an issue for Islay?
• How engaged have A&B council and the community council been in the process?

Event: Oban

Topics

• Fisheries
• Socio-economic benefit
• Engagement and dialogue

Questions

• Realistically, what are the chances of West 1 being successful?
• Will the money come to A&B or into wider pot? There should be benefit for the local community.
• How accurate / realistic are the predicted financial benefits in the report?
• There is a lot of fishing / inshore activity in the Oban area. That is a large area of lost fishing ground. Very disappointing that no one from the fishing sector turned up to the event.
• Important that A&B council are engaged in the process. Will there be an opportunity for 1-1 dialogue with Marine Scotland (MS) during this process?

Event: Stromness

Topics

• Fisheries
• Socio-economic benefit
• Ornithology
• Climate change policy

Questions

• Commercial viability of offshore wind, particularly floating offshore wind?
• Why were areas added after scoping?
• What about grid connection and transmission charging?
• What are the benefits of ceasing fishing in Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) areas?
• What about other generating sources - such as hydro and onshore wind?
• What will this mean for the needs case for the interconnector for Orkney?
• What about onshore infrastructure?
• What about opportunities for hydrogen and battery storage?

Event: Scrabster

Topics

• Fisheries
• Socio economic benefit
• Grid infrastructure
• Local regeneration

Questions

• Concerns regarding potential for displacement here, fishing over the 4 degree line in N1, plotter data, mitigation measures - and exclusion for sein netters
• When will projects start to begin construction?
• How can local socio-economic benefits be secured?
• How are landscape, seascape and visual impacts assessed, considering the potential subjective nature of these impacts?
• What ornithology datasets have been used? Have British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) datasets been used?

Event: Wick

Topics

• Fisheries
• Landscape & seascape

Questions

• What about the existing wave and tidal DPOs?
• Why was N4 introduced post-scoping?
• What about potential impacts to migratory species, particularly migratory fish?
• Existing tagging work/datasets for salmon migration limited and may not be accurate?

Event: Elgin

Topics

• Fisheries
• Oil and gas

Questions

• Why are these being proposed onshore?
• What about potential interactions with oil and gas infrastructure (existing and future)? What about the potential for WTG to power oil and gas production? E.g. Equinor project Tampen style?
• How much energy is required to power a town the size of Elgin? How much energy does Beatrice OWF produce?
• Concerns regarding the impacts of NE4 and NE5, given the scale and location of existing and planned developments
• Concerns that the fishing industry is being squeezed out by government policy surrounding energy generation and climate change
• Why the reduction from 73 GW to the 3, 5 and 10 GW scenarios
• Why can't the turbines be placed on uninhabited islands instead?
• Concerns regarding the increase in crabbers (east of Orkney), which are already impacting on white fish boats and then the subsequent cumulative impact of further OWF development?
• Are birds considered as taking precedent over fisheries interests?
• Concerns that fishing data only goes back 5 years and gaps in the datasets used - 5 years of data may not reflect that the fishing pattern is only temporary?
• Concerns regarding the availability of alternative fishing grounds in bad weather given DPOs proposed east of Orkney and Wick.
• Concerns regarding navigational safety for commercial fishers during poor/bad weather - e.g. loss of power within an array

Event: Newton Stewart

Topics

• Fisheries
• Socio-economic benefit
• Landscape & seascape
• Recreational users
• Natural heritage
• Energy policy

Questions

• How does this plan relate to action around the climate emergency and climate change policy more broadly?
• Have Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) been taken into consideration?
• What about the local gannet colony on the Mull of Galloway? Has this been considered?
• What about the existing tidal DPOs in this region?
• How much energy does Scotland need going forward? Will this meet or exceed demand?
• What type/level of local socio-economic benefit will the South West accrue from this? Given the nature of the port facilities
• Issue of insurance for fishing vessels - not covered by their insurance if they collide with WTG. Will fishers be excluded from the development areas?
• Have lessons regarding fisheries interactions and impacts elsewhere in the UK been applied in Scotland?
• What about the existing ferry routes and shipping traffic which passes through part of SW1?
• How does the subsidy regime for offshore wind energy work?
• What about the potential impacts on local tourism?
• What about the local campaign to designate a new National Park in Dumfries and Galloway - would this be assessed in the SEA in terms of landscape, seascape and visual impact?
• Have lessons been learnt from Robin Rigg? What about the bird monitoring data from Robin Rigg?
• How frequently do birds collide with WTG?

Event: Stranraer

Topics

• Fisheries
• Socio-economic benefit
• Landscape & seascape

Questions

• Why was SW not included in the initial Areas of Search?
• Has the risk for migratory routes for Atlantic salmon been considered?
• Discussion on bird impacts considered in assessments
• Is there a preference to have clusters of development?
• Discussion on visual impacts, cumulative impact and SNH study