Natural Resources Wales has commissioned us to provide guidance on physical processes Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) baseline survey and post consent monitoring requirements for major development projects.

Major developments in the marine environment such as port expansion or offshore wind farms have the potential to cause changes to sediment transport, hydrodynamics (waves, tidal currents and water levels) and morphology. In order to understand the nature of such changes, it is essential that marine and coastal physical processes in the vicinity of the development are well understood.

This understanding is typically achieved through the analysis of new and existing field data along with existing studies, complemented (where necessary) through numerical modelling and other assessment methods. Whilst a wealth of literature exists, there is not one document that brings together best practice guidance on baseline survey and monitoring design, data acquisition techniques, and standards in terms of data quality and coverage for marine and coastal physical processes assessments. ABPmer has been asked to address this by providing marine and coastal physical processes guidance for major marine development projects relevant to Welsh waters.

Heidi Roberts, Head of Physical Processes at ABPmer said: “ABPmer was delighted to be asked to prepare this guidance. We have a long history of undertaking EIAs for offshore and coastal developments and regularly support feasibility studies with physical process assessments.

“The guidance document prepared by our in-house geomorphology, modelling and dredging specialists, reviews and synthesizes published guidance relevant to marine physical processes EIA and draws on their experience to outline potential changes posed by marine developments. It also sets out the likely data requirements for EIA baseline characterisation and good practice for baseline survey design and post-consent monitoring.”

It is intended that the guidance is used directly by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as well as shared with developers and stakeholders to help inform data collection and monitoring requirements. NRW will make the report available in due course once it has been through NRW’s guidance development process.

To find out more about ABPmer's planning and environment services, contact Natalie Frost on +44 (0)23 8071 1850.