Draft Sectoral Marine Plans for Offshore Renewable Energy in Scottish Waters - Sustainability Appraisal

6 Cumulative Effects of Offshore Renewable Energy

6.1 Environment

6.1.1 This section summarises the key findings of the cumulative impacts assessment of the SEA. The summaries are presented at the regional level. Further detail on individual plan options and further discussion of potential cumulative effects can be found within the SEA Environmental Report.

Main Findings

South West Region

6.1.2 The South West region contains one draft wind and one draft tidal plan option to the south of Luce Bay, and a second draft wind option located further east within the Solway Firth, near to the existing offshore wind energy array at Robin Rigg.

6.1.3 The SEA identifies potential cumulative risk of collision for some seabirds and diving birds with wind and tidal devices, although some species may only be affected by one type of technology. The level of risk and significance of effects would need exploration through the project level HRA in combination test for those species associated with the regions European designations.

6.1.4 There is potential for impacts as a result of the creation of barriers to movement, collision, and from noise impacts associated with construction activities, to mobile marine fauna ( e.g. Atlantic salmon, Lamprey, Cetaceans and elasmobranchs).

6.1.5 Wind energy development within the Firth will result in some degree of visibility from the Solway coast, much of which is recognised for its landscape and seascape value. The distance between the two wind options will limit cumulative effects between these, however future developments within OWSW2 and the existing array at Robin Rigg are both likely to be visible from parts of the Solway and Cumbrian coasts. Cumulative impacts from Draft Plan Options on the setting of some coastal features of the historic environment have also been considered within the SEA.

6.1.6 There is the potential for interactions with existing sediment and coastal processes, particularly for tidal sites located south of Luce Bay, which could affect important and potentially vulnerable sites such as the Luce Bay Sands SAC. The significance of effects will need to be established as part of project level EIA.

West Region

6.1.7 A number of Draft Plan Options are proposed across the west region with areas of significant wind, wave and tidal resources. The region however contains many important sites of nature conservation interest and proposals for MPA. This indicates the regions importance for marine biodiversity and risks of cumulative effects. Of particular note is the potential for increased collision and displacement risk for seabirds associated with multiple arrays of operating wind turbines, and similar risks for diving birds associated with groups of wave and tidal devices. Furthermore, some bird species could be affected by several technologies.

6.1.8 Devices may create barriers to movement, provide a risk of collision and displacement and involve impacts from construction noise for mobile fauna including elasmobranchs, cetaceans, and seals. The SEA identified the importance of waters within the West Region for a range of mobile species, particularly for Basking sharks, Common skate, cetaceans and seals. Effects within the Draft Plan Options could work in combination with other planned and licensed projects.

6.1.9 The landscapes and seascapes of the region are renowned for their scenic quality and character, with several areas also recognised for wildness value. However, given that a large number of commercial vessels already using waters, particularly between the Minches, the west of the Outer Hebrides and the North Channel, there is, to a degree, areas of existing working seascape.

6.1.10 Wind and near-shore wave devices are likely to be the most visible to coastal receptors. The potential for massing of offshore wind and wave infrastructure in particular in areas to the west of Islay ( e.g. OWW1, WW1, TW1 and for proposed developments such as West Islay Wind and Tidal sites) and west of Tiree ( e.g. OWW2, WW3 and Argyll Array) will require further consideration as potential projects come forward.

6.1.11 The region contains features of historic interest, including designated coastal sites such as Skerryvore Lighthouse in Tiree and Iona Abbey, and the potential for cumulative impacts on the setting of historic sites has been identified. For example, the placement of wind turbines in the Argyll Wind Array and nearby Draft Plan Options OWW1 and OWW2 may have the potential to occupy much of the seascape west of Skerryvore Lighthouse, particularly under a high occupancy scenario. The potential for such effects will be a key consideration for any project level EIA.

6.1.12 The effects on hydrodynamics and patterns of sedimentation on water quality and coastal processes, as a result of development within the Draft Plan Options, will require further consideration as projects are developed.

North West Region

6.1.13 Given the location of the Draft Plan Options, either side of the Western Isles, cumulative effects in the region are considered most likely to be associated with development within Draft Plan Option WNW1 in combination with existing and proposed renewable energy developments.

6.1.14 The assessment considers potential cumulative effects for mobile species. There is some potential for impacts on seabirds and diving birds as a result of the potential for a number of devices being constructed, which will require further exploration through project level EIAs and HRAs. Collision, displacement, barriers to movement and construction are all identified as potential risks to mobile marine mammals, elasmobranchs and fish. Risks may vary depending on the type of device that might eventually be installed.

6.1.15 The region contains many valued and designated areas of landscape and seascape quality and areas of wildness value. However, both OWNW1 and WNW1 may only be visible from the north of the Isle of Lewis, and furthermore wave devices that sit within the water column in near shore locations may not necessarily result in significant cumulative effects.

6.1.16 The effects on hydrodynamics and patterns of sedimentation on water quality and coastal processes, as a result of development within the Draft Plan Options, will require further consideration as projects are developed.

North Region

6.1.17 The region contains several Draft Plan Options across all three technologies, and already has a number of tidal and wave projects at various stages of the planning and licencing process. It is considered that many of the potential effects identified in the assessment might be appropriately reduced through project mitigation, such as for construction and maintenance. Project EIAs and HRAs will play a key role in identifying the significance of effects and appropriate levels of mitigation. However, the following paragraphs set out some of the potential cumulative effects.

6.1.18 Collision risk for seabirds and diving birds was raised as a risk, particularly for wind and tidal devices. The magnitude and significance of effects depends on the response of species that might be affected by development, the vulnerability of its population and the design of devices.

6.1.19 Wave and tidal devices, and the infrastructure to moor them, could result in a risk of collision and entanglement, impacts on species health as a result of construction noise, and provide barriers to movement for mobile species of fish, cetaceans, seals and elasmobranchs which are all present in the waters surrounding Shetland, Orkney and the Sutherland coast. Certainty in the potential interactions between many species and devices is uncertain and the significant of risks will be become clearer with further research and monitoring.

6.1.20 The region is home to many valued and important landscape receptors, including NSAs, and developments should demonstrate the integrity of these are not significantly affected. Whilst there are several options within the region the greatest risk of visual effects is associated with wind devices, although near shore wave and tidal devices and associated infrastructure and lighting may have significant effects. Similarly impacts on the setting of features of the historic environment, particularly the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, will need detailed consideration when bringing forward options within the Orkney Isles, options to the west of the islands.

6.1.21 The effects on hydrodynamics and patterns of sedimentation on water quality and coastal processes, as a result of development within the Draft Plan Options, will require further consideration as projects are developed.

North East Region

6.1.22 The SEA identifies the potential for cumulative effects between the two wind Draft Plan Options and in combination with existing and proposed renewable energy developments. It is considered that many of the potential effects identified in the assessment might be appropriately reduced through project mitigation, such as for construction and maintenance. However, the following paragraphs set out some of the potential cumulative effects.

6.1.23 Potential cumulative impacts on biodiversity include collision risk for seabirds with wind devices. The east coast is used extensively by seabirds, some of which can regularly travel through the area from locations including the Firth of Forth, Moray Forth and beyond. Impacts on the populations of protected seabirds of development within the Draft Plan Options in combination is possible, the significance of this will depend on the impacts to viable population numbers of individual species.

6.1.24 Furthermore potential collision risk extends to mobile marine species, especially seals and cetaceans. In particular effects on the population of bottlenose dolphins attached to the Moray Firth SAC, and common seals from the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary SAC are considered to be important concerns when bringing forward development within the Draft Plan Options.

6.1.25 In addition there could be potential for effects on terrestrial habitats associated with increased activity supporting renewable energy in ports within the region.

6.1.26 Wind developments will result in some change to seascape, the significance of which will depend on the design of devices and placement within Draft Plan Options. There is potential for cumulative effects with Round 3 developments along much of the east coast. The region has a working seascape with many commercial vessels already using the seas. The Draft Plan Options will add additional static structures to this busy seascape.

6.2 Economy and marine users

6.2.1 This section summarises the findings of the socio-economic assessment relating to the economic impacts of Draft Plan Options for the cumulative effects of offshore renewable energy on other marine activities. These impacts are reported at 'planning region' level, rather than at the level of specific Draft Plan Options. More detail on this analysis can be found in Chapter 9 and Appendix C of the socio-economic assessment.

Key Challenges

6.2.2 The challenges and issues in undertaking this analysis at each sectoral level also apply to the cumulative assessment. In addition, the combined assessment poses particular challenges owing to the complexity of such assessments and the limited scientific understanding of impacts. The starting point for each assessment has been to sum the estimated impacts for offshore wind, wave and tidal development (as appropriate) and then to consider the extent to which combined impacts may be more or less than the summed estimates.

Main Findings

South West Region

6.2.3 Table 6.1 presents costs for the offshore wind and tidal Draft Plan Option areas in South West Region for those activities for which quantified cost estimates have been made. Unquantified impacts were also identified for a number of activities including commercial fisheries, energy generation, military interests, water sports, and for social impacts.

Table 6.1: Discounted PV Costs in £millions for all technologies within the South West Region (numbers rounded to nearest £0.01m)

Activity	Description of Measurement	Scenarios
		Low	Central	High
Commercial Fisheries	Value of potentially lost GVA (derived from landed values)	0.06	0.09	0.19
Recreational boating	Additional fuel costs	0.05	0.06	0.16
Shipping	Additional fuel costs	4.87	5.08	7.05
Water Sports -Sea Angling	Reduction in expenditure	-	0.02	0.33
Total PV costs		4.98	5.25	7.73

6.2.4 The table below shows those activities which are relevant to more than one Draft Plan Option area and have the potential to experience significant combined impacts within the South West region.

Table 6.2: Estimation of potentially significant impacts for all technologies within the South West Region

Marine Activity	Estimation of potentially significant impacts
Commercial Fisheries	The combined impact of potential wind and tidal development on fish landings is considered to be additive, given the relatively low value of the summed impact. Obstruction to navigation routes for commercial fishing vessels in South West SORER is assessed as relatively minor.
Energy Generation	There is some potential for competition between offshore wind and tidal developments for grid connection. However, it is not possible to quantify the cost impact of this interaction.
Recreational Boating	The combined impact of potential wind and tidal development is considered to be additive, given the value of the summed impact.
Shipping	Most shipping activity within the Region is through traffic transiting from the Isle of Man and English ports along the Cumbrian Coast, Morecambe Bay and Liverpool. The combined assessment has therefore been made at national level.
Tourism	There is no anticipated impact on tourism activity from tidal development. Therefore the combined impact of offshore wind and tidal development is the same as for offshore wind development alone.

West Region

6.2.5 Table 6.3 presents summed discounted costs for offshore wind, wave and tidal Draft Plan Option areas in West Region for those activities for which quantified cost estimates have been made

Table 6.3: Discounted PV Costs in £millions for all technologies within the West Region (numbers rounded to nearest £0.01m)

Activity	Description of Measurement	Scenarios
		Low	Central	High
Commercial Fisheries	Loss of GVA associated with possible reduction in fish landings	0.16	0.37	0.80
Shipping	Additional fuel costs	-	3.80	9.77
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	-	0.01	0.05
Total PV costs		0.16	4.18	10.62

6.2.6 The table below shows those activities which are relevant to more than one Draft Plan Option area and have the potential to experience significant combined impacts within the South West region.

Table 6.4: Estimation of potentially significant impacts for all technologies within the West Region

Marine Activity	Estimation of potentially significant impacts
Commercial Fisheries	The combined impact of potential offshore wind, wave and tidal development on fish landings is considered to be additive, given the relatively low value of the summed impact. Obstruction to navigation routes for commercial fishing vessels in West region may be significant for some Draft Plan Option areas. Generally these Draft Plan Option areas are well separated and it is therefore unlikely that an individual fishing vessel would be affected by multiple Areas,
Energy Generation	There is some potential for competition between offshore wind and tidal developments for grid connection. However, it is not possible to quantify the cost impact of this interaction.
Shipping	Most shipping activity within the Region is through traffic. A wider combined assessment has therefore been made at national level.
Tourism	There is no anticipated impact on tourism activity from wave or tidal development. Therefore the combined impact of offshore wind, wave and tidal development is the same as for offshore wind development alone.

North West Region

6.2.7 Table 6.5 presents summed discounted costs for offshore wind and wave Draft Plan Option areas in the North West region for those activities for which quantified cost estimates have been made.

Table 6.5: Discounted PV Costs in £millions for all technologies within the North West Region (numbers rounded to nearest £0.01m)

Activity	Description of Measurement	Scenarios
		Low	Central	High
Commercial Fisheries	Loss of GVA associated with possible reduction in fish landings	0.14	0.36	0.76
Shipping	Additional fuel costs	-	1.45	2.90
Total PV costs		0.14	1.81	3.66

6.2.8 Table 6.6 below shows those activities which are relevant to more than one Draft Plan Option area and have the potential to experience significant combined impacts within the North West region.

Table 6.6: Estimation of potentially significant impacts for all technologies within the North West Region

Marine Activity	Estimation of potentially significant impacts
Commercial Fisheries	The combined impact of potential offshore wind and wave development on fish landings is considered to be additive, given the relatively low value of the summed impact. Obstruction to navigation routes for commercial fishing vessels in North West region may occur in relation to offshore wind Area OWNW1, but interaction with the two wave Areas is expected to be small. Given that the Draft Plan Option areas are well separated, it is therefore unlikely that individual fishing vessel would be affected by multiple Areas.
Energy Generation	There is some potential for competition for grid connection between offshore wind Area NW1 and wave Areas WNW1, WW4. However, it is not possible to quantify the cost impact of this interaction.
Shipping	Most shipping activity within the Region is through traffic. The combined assessment has therefore been made at national level.

North Region

6.2.9 Table 6.7 presents summed discounted costs for offshore wind and wave Draft Plan Option areas in the North region for those activities for which quantified cost estimates have been made.

Table 6.7: Discounted PV Costs in £millions for all technologies within the North Region (numbers rounded to nearest £0.01m)

Activity	Description of Measurement	Scenarios
		Low	Central	High
Commercial Fisheries	Loss of GVA associated with possible reduction in fish landings	0.83	2.01	4.32
Shipping	Additional fuel costs	-	7.12	23.55
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	-	0.22	0.59
Water Sports - Sea Angling	Reduction in expenditure	-	-	0.92
Total PV costs		0.83	9.35	29.38

6.2.10 The table below shows those activities which are relevant to more than one Draft Plan Option area and have the potential to experience significant combined impacts within the North region.

Table 6.8: Estimation of potentially significant impacts for all technologies within North Region

Marine Activity	Estimation of potentially significant impacts
Commercial Fisheries	The combined impact of potential offshore wind, wave and tidal development on fish landings is considered to be additive, given the relatively low value of the summed impact. Obstruction to navigation routes for commercial fishing vessels in North region may be significant for some Draft Plan Option areas. Offshore wind Area OWN1 and wave Area WN2 both overlap with important steaming routes to the north-west of Orkney. More generally, the concentrations of Areas for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy development around Orkney and Shetland create the potential for combined impacts for fishing vessels working in these areas.
Energy Generation	There is a significant overlap between offshore wind Area OWN1 and wave Area WN2 which could result in competition for space. There may also be competition for grid connection between offshore wind, wave and tidal developments, particularly around Orkney and Shetland. However, it is not possible to quantify the cost impact of this interaction.
Shipping	Most shipping activity within the Region is through traffic along the Pentland Firth, or further offshore passing through the Fair Isle Channel or further north around the top of the Shetland Islands. The combined assessment has therefore been made at national level.
Tourism	There is no anticipated impact on tourism activity from wave or tidal development. Therefore the combined impact of offshore wind and tidal development is the same as for offshore wind development alone.
Water Sports (Sea Angling)	The combined impact of potential offshore wind, wave and tidal development is considered to be additive, given the relatively low value of the summed impact.

North East Region

6.2.11 With no wave or tidal Draft Plan Option areas in North East Region. The combined costs are therefore the same as those for offshore wind alone (found in Table 3.14 and 3.15).

6.3 People and Health

6.3.1 This section summarises the findings of the socio-economic assessment relating to the social impacts of Draft Plan Options for the cumulative effects of offshore renewable energy on other marine activities. These impacts are reported at 'planning region' level, rather than at the level of specific Draft Plan Options. More detail on this analysis can be found in Chapter 9 and 10 and Appendix C of the socio-economic assessment and the population and human health topic within the SEA.

Key Challenges and Issues

6.3.2 The challenges and issues experienced in undertaking this analysis at each sectoral level also apply to the cumulative assessment. In addition, the combined assessment poses particular challenges owing to the complexity of such assessments and the limited scientific understanding of impacts. The starting point for each assessment has been to sum the estimated impacts for offshore wind, wave and tidal development (as appropriate) and then to consider the extent to which combined impacts may be more or less than the summed estimates

Main Findings

South West Region

6.3.3 The SEA discusses the importance of the Solway Firth for recreational boating and fishing, and given its location near commercial shipping traffic lanes in the North Channel to the west, there is a likely to be a cumulative increase in the navigational risk to shipping and marine traffic. However, it is considered that the mitigation is available and can reduce this. While the adoption of exclusion zones around the technologies will likely assist in reducing collision risk, their presence may have the potential to displace some recreational and fishing activities in the region.

6.3.4 Tables 6.9 and 6.10 show that most of the impacts remain as minimal or possible negative effects, suggesting they would not be noticeable for most groups. There are some exceptions, notably commercial fisheries, as a result of loss of traditional fishing grounds and the additional costs incurred in finding and moving to new fishing grounds. These impacts may be significant for dredgers and potters. Impacts may also be seen on recreational boat users due to increased difficulty with navigation. This could have knock-on implications for local employment in marinas and boat maintenance businesses if boat owners choose to relocate to other areas. However, these impacts are considered to be very localised. A combination of recreational boating and tourism effects could increase the significance of the impacts for boat-based businesses (for example, if tourists chose to go elsewhere due to seascape changes reducing demand for boat trips). The costs are not expected to be large, though, so the impacts on employment and the local economy of the South West region are likely to be negligible.

Table 6.9: Combined distributional analysis (location, age and gender) for the South West

Sector	Impact	Location			Age			Gender
		Urban	Rural	Settlement	Children	Working age	Pensionable age	Male	Female
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	0	xx	xx Ayr, Campbeltown	x	x	x	xx Fishermen more likely to be male	x
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	x	x	x Ayr, Cambeltown	x	x	x	x	xx Processors more likely to be female
Recreational boating	Additional fuel costs	0	xx	xx	x	xx	xx	xx	xx
	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	0	xx	xxx Wigtown, Kirkcudbright, Whitehaven could be particularly affected	x	xx	xx	xx	xx
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	0	x	No specific settlements affected	x	x	x	x	x
Water sports	Spatial overlap between Draft Plan Option areas and water sport activity (sea kayaking)	0	x	No specific settlements affected	x	x	x	x	x

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect,
x x : possible negative effects,
x : minimal negative effect, if any,
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under both wind and tidal are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind or tidal, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind or tidal, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

Table 6.10: Combined distributional analysis (income and social groups) for the South West

Sector	Impact	Income			Social groups
		10% most deprived	Middle 80%	10% most affluent	Crofters	Ethnic minorities	With disability or long-term sick	Special interest groups	Other
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	xx	xx	xx	0 Not relevant in SW	0	0 Unlikely to be employed in fisheries	xxx Dredgers and potters	xxx Vessels >10m length x Vessels <10m in length
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	x	x	x	0 Not relevant in SW	0	0	x	x
Recreational boating	Additional fuel costs	0 Unlikely to own boat	xx	xx	0 Not relevant in SW	xx	xx	xxx Boat users	No other specific group identified
	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	xx Where employed in this area	xx	xx	0 Not relevant in SW	xx	xx Could affect ability to support trips for disabled/ sick	xxx Could mean they need to relocate to maintain level of access for recreational boating	xxx Potentially greater impact on less affluent sailors with smaller, less powerful boats without electronic aids. They may be more likely reduce activity if navigation risks increase
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	No other specific group identified
Water sports	Spatial overlap between Draft Plan Option areas and water sport activity (sea kayaking)	x	x	x	0 Not relevant in SW	x	x	xx Sea kayakers could have to change routes or look for alternatives	No other specific group identified

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect,
x x : possible negative effects,
x: minimal negative effect, if any,
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under both wind and tidal are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind or tidal, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind or tidal, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

West Region

6.3.5 The SEA identified that given the presence of recreational boating and shipping channels in the region, particularly between islands in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, in the Sea of the Hebrides and in the North Channel to the south, there is a likely to be a cumulative increase in navigational risk to shipping and marine traffic.

6.3.6 There is the potential for cumulative effects to displace recreational sailing and cruising from current routes. However, it is anticipated that under the occupancy scenarios for wind and wave, effects on these activities are likely to be low. Individual projects could result in some issues for navigation through near shore areas and project level assessment should include consultation with recreational groups.

6.3.7 Tables 6.11 and 6.12 show that most of the impacts for the West region are still identified as being 'possibly negative' at worst, suggesting they would not be noticeable for most groups. There are some exceptions, notably commercial fisheries, due to loss of traditional fishing grounds and the additional costs incurred in finding and moving to new fishing grounds. These impacts may be significant for potters and Nephrops trawlers. Crofters could also be disproportionately affected if they are involved in these type of fishing activities to supplement their incomes. There may also be issues with navigation routes, especially in TW2.

6.3.8 Of the other groups, recreational boat users and could reduce their activities or potentially relocate their activities if navigation becomes more difficult. This may be more significant for people with smaller boats that have fewer navigational aids, with the potential for knock-on implications for income to marinas and boat maintenance businesses. However, these impacts are likely to be very localised. A combination of recreational boating and tourism effects could increase the significance of the impacts for boat-based businesses (for example, if tourists chose to go elsewhere due to seascape changes reducing demand for boat trips). The costs are not expected to be large, though, so the impacts on employment and the local economy of the West region are likely to be negligible.

6.3.9 The study found that social impacts within the region might arise through interactions between development and the following sectors: commercial fisheries, recreational boating, and tourism. The main impacts are likely to be on employment (as a result of the impact of increased costs or reductions in turnover), the environment (mainly due to increased emissions or changes in environmental quality), and culture and heritage (related to changes in seascape). Other impacts, such as on access to services, health, and culture and heritage could largely be mitigated, although there may be minimal impacts on recreational boaters and tourists/visitors to the coast.

Table 6.11: Combined distributional analysis (location, age and gender) for the West

Sector	Impact	Location			Age			Gender
		Urban	Rural	Settlement	Children	Working age	Pensionable age	Male	Female
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	0	xxx More significant for OWW1	xxx Oban, Mallaig, Stornoway	x	xxx	x	xxx Fishermen more likely to be male	x
	Obstruction of navigation routes	0	xxx More significant for OWW1 and OWW3	xxx Oban, Mallaig, Stornoway	x	xxx	x	xxx Fishermen more likely to be male	x
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	xx	xx	xx Oban, Mallaig, Stornoway	x	xx	x	xx	xx Processors more likely to be female
Recreational boating	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	0	xx	xx Oban, Dunstaffnage marinas could be affected if number of boaters reduces (but others could benefit)	0	xx	xx	xx	xx
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	0	x	No specific settlements affected	x	x	x	x	x
Water sports	Spatial overlap between Draft Plan Option areas and water sport activity (sea kayaking)	0	xx	No specific settlements affected	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect,
x x : possible negative effects
x: minimal negative effect, if any
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under both wind and tidal are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind or tidal, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind or tidal, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

Table 6.12: Combined distributional analysis (income and social groups) for the West

Sector	Impact	Income			Social groups
		10% most deprived	Middle 80%	10% most affluent	Crofters	Ethnic minorities	With disability or long-term sick	Special interest groups	Other
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	xxx	xxx	xx	xxx Where fishing provides additional income	0	0 Unlikely to be employed in fisheries	xxx Potters	xxx Nephrops trawlers
	Obstruction of navigation routes	xxx	xxx	xx	xxx Where fishing provides additional income	0	0 Unlikely to be employed in fisheries	xxx Potters	xxx Nephrops trawlers
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	xx	xx	xx	xx	0	0	xx	xx
Recreational boating	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	xx Where employed in this area	xx	xx	xx Maybe more likely to have smaller boats	xx	xx Could affect ability to support trips for disabled/ sick	xxx Could mean they need to relocate to maintain level of access for recreational boating	xxx Potentially greater impact on less affluent sailors with smaller, less powerful boats without electronic aids. They may be more likely to look for alternative sailing sites if navigation risks increase
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	No other specific group identified
Water sports	Spatial overlap between Draft Plan Option areas and water sport activity (sea kayaking)	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	xxx Sea kayakers could have to change routes or look for alternatives	No other specific group identified

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect
x x : possible negative effects
x: minimal negative effect, if any
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under both wind and tidal are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind or tidal, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind or tidal, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

North West Region

6.3.10 The SEA identifies that given that the region has major shipping channels ( e.g. shipping off the north west coast of Lewis to the North Minch) as well as established recreational sailing routes ( e.g. St Kilda to Lewis), there is a likely increase in the navigational and collision risks to shipping and marine traffic from development in both Draft Plan Options. However, it is considered that the mitigation suggested would reduce this.

6.3.11 Tables 6.13 and 6.14 show that most of the impacts for the North West region are associated with commercial fishing, particularly due to loss of traditional fishing grounds and the additional costs incurred in finding and moving to new fishing grounds or steaming around arrays. These impacts may be significant for the pelagic sector, however this region has the largest impact on fisheries therefore the combined impact on fisheries therefore may be greater. There may also be impacts for recreational boaters, who could reduce or potentially relocate their activities if navigation becomes more difficult. This may be more significant for people with smaller boats that have fewer navigational aids, with the potential for knock-on implications for income to marinas and boat maintenance businesses.

Table 6.13: Combined distributional analysis (location, age and gender) for the North West

Sector	Impact	Location			Age			Gender
		Urban	Rural	Settlement	Children	Working age	Pensionable age	Male	Female
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	0	xxx	xxx Kinlochbervie, Lochinver, Ullapool	x	xxx	x	xxx Fishermen more likely to be male	x
	Obstruction of navigation routes	0	x	x Kinlochbervie, Lochinver, Ullapool	0	x	0	x Fishermen more likely to be male	x
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	x	x	xx Kinlochbervie, Lochinver, Ullapool	x	xx	x	x	xx Processors more likely to be female
Recreational boating	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	0	x	XX Pontoon facilities, e.g. at Kinlochbervie could be affected if number of boaters reduces (but others could benefit	0	x	x	x	x

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect ,
x x : possible negative effects,
x: minimal negative effect, if any,
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under both wind and wave are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind or wave, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind or wave, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

Table 6.14: Combined distributional analysis (income and social groups) for the North West

Sector	Impact	Income			Social groups
		10% most deprived	Middle 80%	10% most affluent	Crofters	Ethnic minorities	With disability or long-term sick	Special interest groups	Other
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	x	x	x	xx Where fishing provides additional income	0	0 Unlikely to be employed in fisheries	xx Pelagic sector x Potters, demersal trawls	xx Vessels >15m (herring) x Vessels <15m
	Obstruction of navigation routes	x	x	x	xx Where fishing provides additional income	0	0 Unlikely to be employed in fisheries	x Pelagic sector 0 Potters, demersal trawls	x Vessels >15m (herring) 0 Vessels <15m
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	x	x	x	x	0	0	x	x
Recreational boating	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	x	x	xx May be more likely to have smaller boats	0 Unlikely to be employed in this area	x	xxx Could mean they need to relocate to maintain level of access for recreational boating	xxx Could mean they need to relocate to maintain level of access for recreational boating	No other specific group identified

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect
x x : possible negative effects
x: minimal negative effect, if any
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under both wind and wave are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind or wave, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind or wave, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

North Region

6.3.12 The SEA considered that the regions seas are busy with vessel traffic, both commercial and recreational. Development of renewables within the Draft Plan Options in combination with the existing planned sites, and furthermore under the higher occupancy scenario, could result in some increased collision risk. Exclusion zones around the technologies will assist in reducing this risk. There may also be some residual impacts for displacement of recreational activities, and potentially cessation in some locations.

6.3.13 Tables 6.15 and 6.16 show that almost all of the potentially significant cumulative impacts for the North region are associated with commercial fishing, particularly due to loss of traditional fishing grounds and the additional costs incurred in finding and moving to new fishing grounds or steaming around arrays, but inshore fisheries may also suffer significant impacts. These impacts may be most significant for the pelagic and demersal sectors. Crofters could be disproportionately affected if they are involved in these types of fishing activities to supplement their incomes.

6.3.14 Possible negative impacts on other groups are identified but it is suggested by the socio-economic assessment that these may not be noticeable. The main exceptions are impacts on sea anglers and recreational boaters, who could reduce or potentially relocate their activities if navigation becomes more difficult. This may be more significant for people with smaller boats that have fewer navigational aids, with the potential for knock-on implications for income to marinas and boat maintenance businesses. This could have knock-on implications for local employment in marinas and boat maintenance businesses. However, these impacts could be very localised. A combination of effects on recreational boating, sea angling and tourism could increase the significance of the impacts for boat-based businesses (for example, if tourists and sea anglers chose to go elsewhere reducing demand for boat trips). The costs are not expected to be large, though, so the impacts on employment and the local economy of the North region are likely to be negligible. Impacts on sea angling may be significant for the 10% most deprived proportion of the population (although other groups within the population may be equally affected). However, as with the other impacts, these effects are likely to be localised.

Table 6.15: Combined distributional analysis (location, age and gender) for the North

Sector	Impact	Location			Age			Gender
		Urban	Rural	Settlement	Children	Working age	Pensionable age	Male	Female
Carbon capture and storage	Costs of additional cable crossings	0	xx Could have impact on rural economy if investment goes elsewhere	0 Unlikely to affect specific locations	0	xx Could have impact on employment opportunities if investment goes elsewhere	0	xx	xx
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	0	xxx	xxx Orkney, Scrabster, Shetland	x	xxx	x	xxx Fishermen more likely to be male	xx
	Obstruction of navigation routes	0	x	xx Orkney, Scrabster, Shetland	x	xx	x	xx Fishermen more likely to be male	x
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	xx	xxx	xxx Orkney, Scrabster, Shetland	x	xxx	x	xx	xxx Processors more likely to be female
Recreational boating	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	0	xx	xxx Pierowall could be affected most, Bressay and Lerwick less so (xx)	0	xx	xx	xx	xx
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	0	x	No specific settlements affected	x	x	x	x	x
Water sports - Sea Angling	Reduction in expenditure	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	xx	xxx May be more likely to be involved in sea angling	x
Water sports	Spatial overlap between Draft Plan Option areas and water sport activity (sea kayaking)	0	x	No specific settlements affected	x	x	x	x	x

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect
x x : possible negative effects
x: minimal negative effect, if any
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under all of wind, wave and tidal are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind, wave or tidal, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind, wave or tidal, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

Table 6.16: Combined distributional analysis (income and social groups) for the North

Sector	Impact	Income			Social groups
		10% most deprived	Middle 80%	10% most affluent	Crofters	Ethnic minorities	With disability or long-term sick	Special interest groups	Other
Carbon capture and storage	Costs of additional cable crossings	xxx economic impacts could affect this group more than others	xx	xx	xx Unlikely to be employed in this industry (but may be for extra income)	xx	0 Unlikely to be affected, economic impacts likely to be small	0 None likely to be affected	xxx Local businesses that might otherwise have been involved
Commercial fisheries	Value of potentially lost landings	xxx	xxx	xxx	xxx Where fishing provides additional income	0	0 Unlikely to be employed in fisheries	xxx Pelagic, demersal sector xx Shellfish	xxx Vessels >15m xxx Vessels <15m
	Obstruction of navigation routes	x	x	x	xx Where fishing provides additional income	0	0 Unlikely to be employed in fisheries	xx Pelagic, demersal sector x Shellfish	xx Vessels >15m xx Vessels <15m
	Consequential impacts to fish processors	xxx	xxx	x	x	0	0	xx	x
Recreational boating	Additional fuel costs	0 Unlikely to own boat	x	x	x	x	x	xx Boat users	No other specific group identified
	Increased deterrent to access in sites that are already challenging to navigate	xx Where employed in this area	xx	xx	xxx May be more likely to have smaller boats	xx	xxx Could affect ability to support trips for disabled/ sick	xxx Could mean they need to relocate to maintain level of access for recreational boating	xxx Potentially greater impact on less affluent sailors with smaller, less powerful boats without electronic aids. They may be more likely to look for alternative sailing sites if navigation risks increase
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	No other specific group identified
Water sports - Sea Angling	Reduction in expenditure	xxx	xxx	xxx	xxx	xxx	xx Level of sea angling activity may be lower for sick	xxx Sea anglers will be most affected	No other specific group identified
Water sports	Spatial overlap between Draft Plan Option areas and water sports activity (sea kayaking)	x	x	x	x	x	x	xx Sea kayakers could have to change routes or look for alternatives	No other specific group identified

Impacts:
x x x : significant negative effect
x x : possible negative effects
x: minimal negative effect, if any
0: no noticeable effect expected

Rules:

Any impacts scored x under all of wind, wave and tidal are now scored xx

Any impacts scored xx under wind, wave or tidal, plus x under other technology are now scored xxx

Any impacts scored xxx under wind, wave or tidal, plus x or xx under other technology are now scored xxx+ (to indicate cumulative impacts may be greater)

North East Region

6.3.15 The SEA identified that large scale development of wind energy through the Draft Plan Options and sites in the Moray Firth and Firth of Forth will have interactions with commercial and recreational boating and shipping. Residual impacts for displacement of some recreational activities may result, although these may not be significant if displacement can avoid cessation of activities. Appropriate exclusion zones around the technologies will assist in reducing collision risk.

6.3.16 As there are no wave or tidal Draft Plan Option areas in North East Region. The combined social impacts are therefore the same as those for offshore wind alone (covered in section 3.3.18 above).

6.4 Cumulative Effects and Synergies

6.4.1 The effects identified with cumulative Draft Plan Options within a single technology could be further amplified with several options for additional technologies. However, it may be the case that several sites with lower levels of occupancy could carry a lower risk of effects than for plan options with a single technology but a higher level of occupancy. Therefore there is difficulty in reaching certainty in identifying significant environmental effects. However key cumulative effects at the national level include:

• Effects on mobile species such as seals, fish, cetaceans, elasmobranchs, seabirds and diving birds, in particular, as a result of barriers to movement, and collision risk. Some species can travel great distances and could potentially be affected by several draft plan options and more than one type of device. The ongoing HRA of the plans and subsequent projects will help to consider in combination effects on species associated with European designations.
• Potential for effects on marine habitats as a direct result of construction, but also though any alteration of the water environment such as turbidity, turbulence and changes in patterns of sedimentation.
• Potential for cumulative effects on landscape and seascape character, including areas with characteristics of wild land.
• Impacts on submerged archaeology, although mitigation is available in terms of locating devices. In addition there is potential for impacts on the setting of features of the historic environment, in particular, coastal designations and important sites inclusive of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site ( WHS).
• Other environmental effects, including pollution and contamination risk, and effects on coastal areas may be more localised and less significant on a cumulative basis.

6.4.2 Table 6.17 presents summed discounted costs for wind, wave and tidal Draft Plan Option areas in all regions for those activities for which quantified cost estimates have been made. These figures are aggregated from the regional level analyses presented in previous sections.

Table 6.17: Present value ( PV) costs for all technologies at a national level, £m (costs discounted over assessment period, 2012 prices, values rounded to nearest £0.01m)

Activity	Description of Measurement	Scenarios
		Low	Central	High
Carbon Capture and Storage	Costs of additional cable crossings	1.85	4.32	9.27
Commercial Fisheries	Loss of GVA associated with possible reduction in fish landings	1.37	3.26	6.99
Recreational boating	Additional fuel costs	0.05	0.72	0.97
Shipping	Additional fuel costs	4.87	66.02	141.87
Tourism	Reduction in expenditure	-	0.26	1.00
Water Sports - Sea Angling	Reduction in expenditure	-	-	0.92
Total PV costs		8.14	74.58	161.02

6.4.3 While there are uncertainties surrounding the cost estimates for tourism and sea angling and not all potential impacts to these sectors have been quantified, the scale of impacts identified does not suggest that there will be significant regional or national impacts associated with combined offshore wind, wave or tidal development within the Draft Plan Option areas for these activities.

6.4.4 At a national level, the combined impact of the commercial fisheries sector in terms of impacts to GVA as a result of potential reductions in landings is estimated to be less than 1% of total GVA and thus insignificant in a national context. At a regional scale, it is estimated that the greatest potential impacts will occur in North Region. No significant impacts for the fish processing sector have been identified either regionally or nationally, given the relatively small scale of potential impact to fish landings. Impacts may also occur to the commercial fisheries sector as a result of disruption to steaming routes to fishing grounds as a result of the location of offshore renewables arrays but it has not been possible to quantify these impacts. It is possible that export cable routes may also affect fishing opportunities in some locations, but it has not been possible to quantify these impacts.

6.4.5 Cost impacts to shipping interests are potentially more significant both in absolute terms (maximum annual cost impact of around £13.0m) and relative terms, although no specific figure is available for the value of shipping to the Scottish economy. For the tidal and wave sites, spatial planning can largely avoid significant impacts on commercial shipping and ferry routes, however reduced sea area availability for navigation will increase the density of traffic in other areas. This will have an increase in the potential encounter rate, and therefore an increase in marine risk. Changes in shipping patterns around development sites, specifically larger wind farm sites, will also affect greenhouse gas ( GHG) emission values for different sea areas. This will depend on the route of the deviation, however it is expected that GHG emission values will be modified by affected routes.

6.4.6 The impact of renewable development sites on recreational boating is recognised as a deterrent ( i.e. the prospect of increased danger which affects planned passages) and partly economic where the passage is attempted, but a deviation is encountered to avoid development areas. The effect of decisions not to navigate in these areas will be recognised in income from marina and leisure support facilities, and a long term disincentive for investment.

6.4.7 A number of potential impacts have been identified for competing offshore renewables technologies, both in relation to competition for space and cable land falls. The combined impact of these interactions is uncertain. It is possible that more commercially viable technologies such as offshore wind could out-compete wave and tidal developments and reduce opportunities for these technologies, although offshore renewables developers will be encouraged to co-operate on issues such as cable landfall.

6.4.8 Impacts to Carbon Capture and Storage ( CCS) and Dredge Material Disposal sites only occur in one region and national impacts will therefore be no greater than the regional impacts to these activities.

6.4.9 The social impacts are not expected to be noticeable at the national level. The potential impacts on employment, access to services, health, culture and heritage and the environment could be locally noticeable, with the largest impacts likely to be associated with commercial fisheries, and on marinas if boat users choose to visit other areas of the coast or move their boats to marinas away from the search areas. In most cases, these impacts are also expected to be small and very localised and relate mainly to the knock-on effects of changes to jobs (either number or quality of employment). There are no significant impacts expected in terms of access to services, crime or education. Impacts on culture and heritage, environment and health are limited to loss of traditional fishing grounds, emissions to the environment (most of which will be offshore) and worry associated with increased costs or increased navigation risks.

6.5 Recommendations and Combined Mitigation Action Plan

6.5.1 Within the SEA Environmental Report are a number of recommendations to avoid and minimise the potential environmental effects of the plans. The plan does not determine the type of device to be constructed, nor does it state a preference for technology where Draft Plan Options overlap. Furthermore it does not set levels of occupancy or locations for development within the Draft Plan Options. Given this the recommendations of the SEA set out guidance for information to include in project level EIA to help focus assessments towards potentially significant issues in order to provide adequate mitigation. The table below summarises key recommendations, mitigation and means of monitoring effects.

Table 6.18: Summary of SEA recommendations and monitoring

Summary of potential effects	Recommendation and mitigation	Monitoring
Biodiversity Flora and Fauna
Potential for adverse effects on biodiversity as a result of collision injury, displacement and impacts on behaviour. Inclusive of the effects of noise during construction and operation. Direct and indirect loss of habitats from construction and operation of devices (inclusive of impacts on seabed sediment movement)	Project level EIA and HRA can help to determine the significance of effects on marine species and habitats. In some cases the timing of construction activity can avoid the greatest impacts on some species. Establish links between the results of any hydrodynamic and sediment modelling for individual projects and impacts on benthic species and habitats. Project EIA to demonstrate development is compatible with the conservation objectives of future MPA. Project HRA to demonstrate no adverse effect on the integrity of European designated sites.	Further research into potential collision risks, noise and displacement effects is required to better understand potential effects on fish species such as Atlantic salmon and other diadromous fish, cetaceans, seals, elasmobranchs and some bird species. EIA and monitoring of licenced projects to help improve the understanding of effects on species and habitats. Research and monitoring of to feed back into and inform the plan review process.
Population and Human Health
Some potential for increased collision risk and displacement of recreational activity, particularly for near shore devices	Impacts could be reduced through appropriate design and use of navigational aids (marker buoys and lighting) in the vicinity of the infrastructure. Inclusion of offshore energy developments on navigational charts and potential for exclusion zones. Consultation with the recreation sector at project level.	Consultation with the recreation sector as projects are rolled out and will help to design developments that minimise effects on recreational activities.
Water and the Marine Environment
Potential impacts on water quality from contamination associated with construction (vessels and seabed disturbance) and as a result of changes to turbidity and turbulence.	Pollution risks associated with installation, maintenance and decommissioning, reduced by inclusion as consideration in project design and operational standards. Establish links between the results of any hydrodynamic and sediment modelling for individual projects and potential for pollution and contamination.	Monitoring of pollution incidents associated with licenced projects to feed into the plan review process.
Marine Geology and Coastal Processes
Changes to turbidity, sediment disturbance, and loss of geology in placing devices may have secondary impacts on coastal processes (depending on the proximity of devices to more sensitive coastlines).	Establish links between the results of any hydrodynamic and sediment modelling for individual projects and coastal processes. Impacts could be reduced through appropriate location within a Draft Plan Option to limit the scale for any identified effects. Project design should include the use of scour protection around the base of foundations placed on or into the seabed.	EIA and monitoring of licenced projects to help improve the understanding of potential effects and feed into the plan review process.
Historic Environment
Potential impacts on submerged archaeology and in some cases the setting of heritage features (depending on devices, location within a Draft Plan Option and the presence and status of the Historic feature)	Impacts could be reduced through appropriate array design to avoid historic features on the seabed. Project level EIA to establish effects on the setting of Historic features and minimise significant adverse effects through project design and location within Draft Plan Options. Where a relevant consideration, projects must demonstrate no significant adverse effects on the outstanding universal value of world heritage sites.	The EIA of licenced projects should be reviewed to help understand the scale of potential effects on features of the historic environment.
Landscape and seascape
Potential for change to landscape and seascape, inclusive of cumulative effects and including areas with characteristics of wild land. The significance of effects will depend on the type of device, its location ( e.g. near shore or further offshore), and the sensitivity of receptors.	Some residual change to seascape is inevitable but the avoidance of significance of effects should be a key consideration of project design and location within Draft Plan Options. In some cases (wave and tidal) the type of device planned for installation should reflect the site within the Draft Plan Option selected for development, for example devices with the most submerged components may be more suitable for near shore locations. Night time effects associated with lighting, particular in near shore areas and near sensitive receptors should be a key consideration of project design. The cumulative effects associated with massing of devices with other planned and existing offshore renewable energy developments, onshore components of developments and the capacity of landscapes to absorb change should be considered in detail within visual impact assessment contained in project level EIA. Project EIA with National Scenic Areas ( NSA) in their scope should avoid adverse effects on the integrity of the area or the qualities for which it has been designated.	EIA and monitoring of licenced projects to help improve the understanding of the scale of effects, in particular to inform cumulative impact assessments as part of the ongoing plan review process.

6.5.2 The HRA also sets out the requirement for further project level HRAs as a means to mitigate potential for adverse effects on the integrity of European sites. Project assessment can also improve understanding of the impacts from key pathways and updated information can feed into the HRA within the plan review process. The information that will need to be supplied within the project-level HRAs includes:

• Updates on the location and status of new European/Ramsar designations;
• New information on interest feature sensitivities (in the context of the latest scientific understanding);
• Assessment of effects during survey, construction and operation phases of the project (including the in-combination effects with other extant proposals); and
• Proposed mitigation measures.

6.5.3 It should also be recognised that it may be necessary, as part of the project-level HRAs, to revisit the screening process that was undertaken for the Sectoral Plan HRAs. Depending upon the outcome of the project-level AA, there might be a need for alternative and/or additional mitigation measures to be identified to ensure that there is no adverse effect on the integrity of any European/Ramsar sites.

6.5.4 It should be emphasised that uncertainties associated with the sensitivities of European/Ramsar site features to individual projects will be addressed through project level HRA to demonstrate no adverse effect on integrity of these features. The Habitats Regulations and the case-law that informs their implementation place emphasis on developers demonstrating 'no adverse effect' using best available scientific knowledge and beyond reasonable scientific doubt. The process of ongoing research and feeding the results of targeted monitoring back into the assessment process will address these uncertainties.

6.5.5 Both the SEA and HRA also propose wider recommendations for the plan making process. The SEA indicates the potential for environmental effects associated with grid connections, but could not provide certainty on effects as grid connections are not defined in this plan or others. The socio-economic assessment includes broad assumptions on grid connections in order to gauge the scale of potential effects although this is limited. It is therefore recommended that provisions should be made for the strategic planning of the marine grid in order consider potential effects arising from the provision of grid infrastructure, and that strategic assessment of potential environmental, economic and social effects is also undertaken.

6.5.6 The SEA and HRA have highlighted difficulties in providing certainty in the prediction of effects, reflecting gaps in knowledge surrounding the significance of interactions between renewable devices and environmental features. The assessments indicate that greater certainty on effects might only be informed through ongoing research and feedback from project level assessment and monitoring and that this needs to be scientifically sound to provide clarity.

6.5.7 It is recommended in the SEA that a co-ordinated approach to reviewing approved EIA and project monitoring should be developed. Furthermore, where uncertainty remains, further targeted research projects should be considered and continue to be commissioned. A co-ordinated and collaborative approach will help to direct future research to areas of value for plan making and development process. Furthermore, the SEA recommends that a plan review group should oversee these processes. The group could include a wide range of representatives but should include expertise for scientific accountability. The findings of research and project review should feed into the plan review cycle.

6.5.8 The HRA proposes a similar IPR process that is critical for providing assurances that the Sectoral Marine Plans will have no adverse effects on the integrity of designated European/Ramsar site. The HRA Cumulative Review and Plan Implementation Report sets out in detail the programme of activities that will be required for the IPR. The phased approach it details enables project-level assessments and the associated monitoring review work of initial projects inform regular reviews of the Plan and ongoing decision about project implementation. It is further proposed that the review process will be overseen by a stakeholder project steering group. Given that both the SEA and HRA suggest the formation of a group to oversee the review processes, it is recommended that a single group be constructed to conduct both these tasks.

6.5.9 The socio-economic assessment recognises that there is potential for economic impacts on some marine activities, of differing degrees. The assessment has not, however, taken into account predicted potential economic benefits associated with the manufacturing, construction and maintenance of offshore renewable energy installations.

6.5.10 Social impacts are expected to be noticeable only at the local level and not at the national level. The largest of these impacts may be associated with commercial fisheries, and some marinas. There are no significant impacts expected in terms of access to services, crime or education. As a result recommendations for specific mitigation measures have not been included. Communities are provided with the opportunity to consider the findings of the socio-economic assessment during this consultation.

6.5.11 However, as part of the baseline review that informed the socio-economic assessment, a Data Gaps Analysis Report has been produced ¹⁶ . Within this this report, specific data gaps were identified where the absence of suitable baseline data was perceived to compromise the preparation of regional scale impact assessments for future sectoral plans for offshore wind or wave and tidal energy.

6.5.12 Marine Scotland has already commissioned a number of specific studies to address particular gaps in socio-economic data to inform future marine planning and the development of sectoral plans. In addition, a number of actions have been identified as possible ways in which to fill these gaps. The Data Gaps Analysis Report describes possible methodologies and approaches for taking forward medium and high priority actions. Marine Scotland will continue to progress the development of such evidence as and where required as part of the plan review process.

6.6 Achieving a Sustainable Approach

6.6.1 The following section sets out the policy response to the recommendations of this SA. The draft plans provide an initial opportunity to incorporate guidance for their implementation that takes account for the sustainability issues identified.

6.6.2 The SA has set out a number of issues relating to each technology at the regional and national scale. In some cases recommendations have been made for projects which may emerge within the Draft Plan Option. The draft plans include a requirement that where necessary project level assessments should give consideration to the issues identified, and in the assessments, at the scoping stage for project level environmental assessments. Furthermore in each of the draft plans for each technology and each of the relevant regions, the key sustainability issues for consideration are listed.

6.6.3 The recommendation within the SEA and repeated in this SA, for a strategic planning exercise to cover the grid, and to be supported by a SA process, such as undertaken for this round of plans, is supported within the text of the draft plans.

6.6.4 Recommendations from the SEA, HRA, and socio-economics to structure a formal plan review process that is informed by the monitoring of licenced projects, ongoing research and assessment is supported within the draft plans. The draft plans suggest that a Sectoral Plans Review Group is established to oversee the implementation of the plan. The group is to help facilitate strategic monitoring and research in order to increase knowledge of national and regional issues and to address gaps in knowledge, including those identified in the SEA, HRA and socio economic assessment.

6.6.5 An effective review group would help to provide greater clarity in regards to the significance of the effects of the plans, and enable any assumptions relating to Plan Options and growth scenarios to be revisited within the plan review process.

6.6.6 Views on the draft plans and the assessment reports as part of this consultation are now sought. These will help to inform the development of final plans, and to establish membership of the Sectoral Plans Review Group and any additional issues this group will need to focus on.