Abstract
This Offshore HRA Screening Report has been produced to inform the HRA process for the Moray West Site, as requested by MS-LOT in their Scoping Opinion following the EIA Scoping process for Moray West Offshore Windfarm (Moray West, 2016). This Offshore HRA screening is required for the Moray West Offshore Wind Farm as it has the potential to affect the site integrity and / or the qualifying features of nearby Natura (European) sites. A similar HRA screening request is expected to be made by the consenting authorities for the OfTI (also MS-LOT) as part of their EIA Scoping process.
This document provides information to enable offshore HRA screening of the Moray West Site with respect to likely significant effects (LSEs) on European sites of nature conservation importance. As the substation site and preferred onshore cable route are yet to be identified, there will be a separate Onshore HRA Screening Report, if required. The intention is to then produce one Report to Inform Appropriate Assessment (RIAA) that covers both onshore and offshore proposals, which would be submitted with the consent and planning applications.