Post-construction surveys
23.—(1) The undertaker must, in discharging Condition 16(b), submit details for written approval by the MMO of the 5 post-construction surveys proposed in sub-paragraph (2), including methodologies and timings, and a proposed format, content and timings for providing reports on the results at least 4 months before commencement of any survey works detailed within. The survey proposals must be in accordance with the principles set out in the offshore in principle monitoring plan and specify each survey’s objectives and explain how it assists in either informing a useful and valid comparison with the pre-construction position or enables the validation or otherwise of key predictions in the environmental statement.
(2) Subject to receipt of specific proposals, it is expected that the post-construction surveys will comprise—
(a)appropriate surveys of ornithological activity inside the areas within the Order limits in which construction works were carried out, and any wider areas where appropriate, which are required to validate predictions in the environmental statement concerning key ornithological interests of relevance to the authorised scheme;
(b)appropriate high-resolution bathymetric surveys undertaken to International Hydrographic Organisation Order IA standard and side-scan sonar surveys around the areas within the Order limits in which construction works were carried out, including a 500-metre buffer area around the site of each work. For this purpose, the undertaker must before the first survey submit a desk-based assessment (that takes into account all factors that influence scour) to identify the sample of infrastructure locations that are considered appropriate with greatest potential for scour. The survey must be used to validate the desk-based assessment. Further surveys may be required if there are significant differences between the modelled scour and recorded scour;
(c)dependent on the outcome of the surveys undertaken under Condition 21(2)(a), appropriate surveys to determine the effects of construction activity on any benthic habitats of conservation, ecological or economic importance (including Annex 1 habitats) in whole or in part inside the areas within the Order limits to validate predictions made in the environmental statement and to identify the presence of any non-native species and wider community type structure;
(d)vessel traffic monitoring by automatic identification system totalling a maximum of 28 days taking account of seasonal variations in traffic patterns over 1 year, following the commencement of commercial operation. A report must be submitted to the MMO and the MCA following the end of the monitoring; and
(e)appropriate surveys to determine the change in size and form of the drill disposal mounds over the lifetime of the authorised scheme.
(3) The undertaker must carry out the surveys under sub-paragraph (1) and provide the reports in the agreed format in accordance with the timetable agreed in writing by the MMO following consultation with the relevant statutory nature conservation body.