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T E C H N I C A L N O T E 1
PREPARED FOR:
COPY TO:
PREPARED BY: Nicholas Corne (Marine Environmental Consultant)
DATE:
12 th November 2014
PROJECT NUMBER: 460148
CHECKED BY:
VERIFIED BY:
CH2M HILL has prepared this report in accordance with the scope and instructions of CMAL, our client, for their sole and specific use. Any other persons or organisations who use any information contained herein do so at their own risk. The advice provided does not constitute legal advice. As such, the services of lawyers may also be considered if legal advice is required.
01.
Proposed Development: Brodick Harbour re-development, Brodick Harbour, Isle of Arran
02.
Proponent: Caledonian Maritime Asset Limited (CMAL)
03.
A Screening Opinion was sought on behalf of CMAL. under the Marine Works (Environmental
Impact Assessment) Regulations 2007 (as amended). In the screening consultation response
(reference PCS/128106), SEPA considered that an EIA was not required under Schedule 2 of the
Regulations. The following advice was provided in relation to Marine Ecology- Marine Habitats:
04.
‘The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 gives all public bodies, including SEPA and the planning authorities, a duty to further the conservation of biodiversity. The developer is recommended to consult on both the UK BAP and LBAP lists for marine and coastal features found within the proposed areas of development, and consider mitigation measures, as appropriate.
During the construction, operation and maintenance phases, it is important that good working practice is adopted and that wider habitat damage is mitigated against or kept to a minimum
within defined acceptable limits.’
05.
This Technical Note addresses these comments and is intended to support the associated Marine
Licence application made under Part 4 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.
06.
The proposed development area is defined in Figure 1.
07.
A list of marine and coastal features within and within close proximity (less than 2kms) to the development area is presented in the results section of this Technical Note. This data was sourced from the following references: a) The Scottish Government’s National Marine Plan Interactive (NMPi) reporting
European Nature Information System (EUNIS) seabed habitat maps b) JNCC correlation tables c) The Scottish Biodiversity List d) Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan

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08.
The Location Maps and the results of the predictive habitat mapping exercise are presented in
Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figure 1 Location of the proposed re-development at Brodick harbour

BRODICK HARBOUR REDEVELOPMENT: MARINE ECOLOGY
Figure 2 Outline design of the proposed redevelopment of Brodick harbour
Figure 3 EUNIS predictive habitat map of Brodick Harbour and the surrounding area
09.
The predicted habitats are presented in Table 1. The name of the habitats and their spatial relationship to the development area are highlighted in columns A and B with reference to the
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colour coding in Figure 3.. The table also describes the possible relationship of these predicted habitats to various designated habitats as presented in the JNCC correlation tables. These are: a) Column C- Annex 1 habitat as described under the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.)
Regulations 1994 b) Column D -Scottish Biodiversity List which followed the creation of the UK BAP in order to satisfy the requirements under Section 2(4) of the Nature Conservation
(Scotland) Act 2004 c) Column E- Scottish Priority Marine Features drafted to assist in the delivery of the marine planning and licensing as set out in the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the UK
Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
10.
This is presented as a contextual background to the status of the habitast rather than an assessment of their conservation status. A blank cell indicate no correlation applies.
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BRODICK HARBOUR REDEVELOPMENT: MARINE ECOLOGY
Table 1 Habitats within the development site at Brodick Harbour and within 2km of this site
A
EUNIS Predicted Habitats name 2008
1 Atlantic and Mediterranean low energy infralittoral rock
2 Silted kelp on low energy infralittoral rock with full salinity
B
Relationship to the development site as recorded in Figure 2
Map code: dark blue
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be within the development site
Map code: dark blue
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be within the development site
D
Annex 1
Reefs
(Habitat is considered broader than the EUNIS habitat.)
Reefs
(Habitat is considered broader than the EUNIS habitat.)
-
E
Scottish Biodiversity list
-
F
Scottish Priority Marine Features (PMF)
-
-
3 Brachiopod and ascidian communities on circalittoral rock
Map code: light blue
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~1000m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
Reefs
(Habitat is considered broader than the EUNIS habitat.)
- -
4 Sublittoral sand Subtidal sands and gravels
-
5 Infralittoral fine sand
Map code: yellow
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~1000m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
Map code: yellow
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~1000m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
-
Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time
(May occur in Annex I type if in -20meter of water)
Subtidal sands and gravels
-
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A
EUNIS Predicted Habitats name 2008
6 Circalittoral fine sand
B
Relationship to the development site as recorded in Figure 2
Map code: tan
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~400m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
D
Annex 1
Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time
(May occur in Annex I type if in -20meter of water)
E
Scottish Biodiversity list
Subtidal sands and gravels
F
Scottish Priority Marine Features (PMF)
Offshore subtidal sands and gravels (applies in offshore water only not within the terreritorial waters)
7 Circalittoral muddy sand Map code: tan
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~400m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time
(May occur in Annex I type if in -20meter of water)
Subtidal sands and gravels
- 8 Sublittoral mud Map code: orange
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~1400m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
-
9 Circalittoral sandy mud Map code orange
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~1400m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
- Mud habitats in deep water
-
-
-
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A
EUNIS Predicted Habitats name 2008
10 Circalittoral fine mud
B
Relationship to the development site as recorded in Figure 2
Map code orange
Based on the predicted habitat mapping the seabed habitat could be ~1400m from the development site (+/- 300m based on the EUNIS's spatial resolution)
D
Annex 1
-
BRODICK HARBOUR REDEVELOPMENT: MARINE ECOLOGY
E
Scottish Biodiversity list
Mud habitats in deep water
F
Scottish Priority Marine Features (PMF)
-

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11.
The Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) highlights Brodick Bay as a key site for
‘esturaries’ and provided an outline of its current status (dated 2001). It states that ‘saltmarsh’ (a key feature of estuaries) covers 2ha of Brodick Bay. This is small in the context of other local sites in Aurshire and the location of this saltmarsh is not given.
12.
The habitat objective for estuaries from the LBAP is ‘maintain and enhance estuarine habitats subject to changes arising from natural processes’.
13.
In summary, based on the data presented above the following habitats may be presented at the development site: a) Atlantic and Mediterranean low energy infralittoral rock b) Silted kelp on low energy infralittoral rock c) Estuaries d) (saltmarsh)
14.
And the following habitats may be presented at the within 2kms of the development site: a) Brachiopod and ascidian communities on circalittoral rock b) Sublittoral sand c) Infralittoral fine sand d) Circalittoral fine sand e) Circalittoral muddy sand f) Sublittoral mud g) Circalittoral sandy mud h) Circalittoral fine mud
15.
SEPA advises that mitigation measures, as appropriate, are considered, presumably to reduce the effect of the development to the habitats identified.
16.
The habitats identified in this technical note are predicted based on the sediments presented. It is recommended, therefore, that a pre-construction marine habitats survey is utilised to qualify these predictions within the development area extending to a 2km radius outwith of the site.
17.
The results of this pre-construction survey should be compared against a post construction survey
(scheduled at a suitable time to allow recovery of the site) to evaluate the impact on the identified habitats.
18.
SEPA advises the good working practice re adopted to mitigate against wider habitat damage. The review of the contractor method statement against this requirement and that of marine nonnatives species will be undertaken prior to construction and reported in Technical Note 3.