Representation by North West Wildlife Trusts (North West Wildlife Trusts)
- Date submitted
- 24 June 2024
- Submitted by
- Non-statutory organisations
• We are supportive of offshore wind generation, but development must not be at the expense of nature. • We welcome the strategic coordination of energy generation and transmission infrastructure. • We expect Morgan OWF to aim to achieve an overall net positive impact on biodiversity and ecology in the marine environment. • We are disappointed that a future monitoring plan of many of the ecological receptors has not been embedded into the project to validate predictions in the ES and inform future projects. • We have concerns over the large maximum design parameters. • We are pleased to see that the Morgan OWF will not pass through any designations. However, please note that there is potential for this scheme to have adverse impacts outside of designated areas. • We welcome that there will be the development of, and adherence to, a Marine Mammal Mitigation Protocol (MMMP). • Ornithology - we expect that all impacts are minimised through the project design and best use of available technology e.g. minimum tip height of turbines to reduce impacts, minimising moving parts and/or the number of turbine blades, slower rotation speeds, and blunt edges on the structure, slow start procedures for turbines. • Transboundary issues - we are concerned that given the number of proposed offshore wind farms in the eastern part of the Irish Sea, there will be a ‘belt’ of wind farms from the Isle of Man down to Wales resulting in significant barrier effects.”