UK’s Crown Estate approves seabed rights for wave and tidal test zones

The UK’s Crown Estate has approved seabed rights for six new wave and tidal demonstration zones as well as five new wave and tidal current sites.

The demonstration zones and project sites locations include three off the coast of England, four off the coast of Scotland, one in Northern Ireland and three off the coast of Wales.

Any plan or project that may have an impact on European Natura 2000 Sites requires an appropriate assessment, under the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC.

ABPmer, a recognised provider of environmental assessments, has prepared UK-wide plan-level HRA and supporting documents.

Project director Colin Scott said: "We were thrilled to be commissioned to undertake the wave and tidal appraisal, the first such UK-wide plan-level HRA in the UK."

"We used our substantial experience of undertaking previous plan-level HRAs for Marine Scotland and the MMO and worked closely with all the devolved administrations and Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies to ensure a consistent approach was applied," Scott added.

"In addition to the HRA document, we also prepared individual summary reports for each of the project sites and demonstration areas which will be of assistance to developers when doing project level appropriate assessments."

Greg Barker, Minister for Energy and Climate Change said the approval will help the UK ensure these sectors reach their full potential in our country’s future energy mix.

"Wave and tidal stream are growing green, clean energy sources which have the potential to sustain thousands of jobs in a sector worth, from exports alone, a possible £4 billion per annum by 2050," Change added.

---

Image: UK’s Crown Estate approves seabed rights for wave and tidal test zones. Photo: © The Crown Estate 2014.