Environment
A range of studies and assessments will be undertaken during the development phase to feed into the final proposed onshore and offshore design of MaresConnect. The aim of the studies will be to ensure that MaresConnect is designed sensitively to the local and marine environments.
Onshore
MaresConnect is committed to ensuring high standards of environmental management in the design, construction, and operation of the interconnector.
The project cables will be entirely undersea and underground, avoiding the impacts associated with overhead lines. There will be no overhead lines between the two converter stations and the respective substations. Onshore the cables will be buried underground and offshore the cables will be buried in the seabed or laid on the seabed with protection, if burial is not practicable.
As part of the environmental scoping, MaresConnect will undertake stakeholder consultations and an assessment and evaluation process to establish the viability of all the proposed converter station sites and cable routes. MaresConnect will consider any potential impacts and opportunities arising from the project development. In this way, negative impacts will be avoided where possible, and where they are unavoidable, MaresConnect will ensure that they are adequately mitigated to satisfy all concerns.
We will carry out environmental impact assessments as required by national laws and regulations, taking into account the concerns and issues of local communities and stakeholders. These assessments will evaluate the potential effects on the environment during construction and operations, and inform the design, planning, construction methods, operation and maintenance of the interconnector.
The following studies and assessments are likely to be included within the development process:
- Biodiversity;
- Cultural heritage;
- Landscape and visual impact;
- Flooding and hydrology;
- Geology and hydrogeology;
- Noise and vibration;
- Traffic and transport;
- Socio economics; and
- Air quality
We will also extensively consult with the local community and statutory consultees during the development process with feedback incorporated into the final proposed design.
The results of the studies and assessments will be fully detailed within the final planning documentation to be submitted to the relevant planning authorities and made available to the local community for review.
Marine
The marine routes to be surveyed will initially be identified from a desk-based study using publicly available material. This will precede subsea surveys and stakeholder consultation to identify the optimum marine cable route corridor.
The final cable corridor will seek to avoid impacts on various items including known wrecks, environmental designations, sensitive habitats and commercial shipping. Where it is not possible to avoid impacts, mitigation will be put in place to ensure that any net impact is negligible, neutral or positive.
A range of studies and assessments will be undertaken during the development process to feed into the final proposed marine cable route. The aim of the studies will be to ensure that MaresConnect is designed sensitively to the local environment.
The following studies and assessments are likely to be included within the development process:
- Coastal processes;
- Protected sites;
- Benthic ecology;
- Fish and shellfish;
- Marine birds;
- Marine mammals and reptiles;
- Marine archaeology and unexploded ordnance;
- Fisheries;
- Shipping and navigation;
- Recreation and other sea users;
- Cumulative effects; and
- Biodiversity net gain
Consultation with commercial shipping, fishing interests and statutory consultees will also be undertaken during the development phase. The feedback will be incorporated into the final proposed design.