Navitus Bay provides early sight of key impact reports

• Socio-economic impact studies shared with tourism bodies and councillors

• Navitus Bay outlines approach to mitigation and learnings from other projects

Wind park developer, Navitus Bay, has today published advance copies of the socio-economic impact assessments that will inform its overall application for development consent.

The reports look into the potential benefits and impacts of the wind park on tourism, commercial shipping and fishing interests and the local economy. Navitus Bay will use the findings to help determine any mitigation measures they may need to put in place to ensure the development makes a positive contribution to the local area.

The reports are extensive, but top line findings reveal a degree of optimism or neutrality about the tourism prospects for the region. They show that:

• The vast majority (92%) of the tourism businesses interviewed expect their business to increase or remain stable and most (72%) believe Navitus Bay Wind Park would have little or no impact on their business prospects⁽ⁱ⁾.
• This optimism was shared by visitors to the region – 86% of Summer-season visitors said the development would not put them off visiting the region in the future ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾.

The assessments also estimate that the wind park has the potential to add economic value to the region of up to £1.85 billion over the lifetime of the project, and support a minimum of 2,000 jobs during peak construction years ⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾.

Compiled by independent researchers, the results of these surveys are used to develop the socio-economic chapter; one of a number of chapters that will form the Environmental Statement, a key part of Navitus Bay’s application for development consent.

The chapter and accompanying reports have been shared ahead of schedule with the local planning authorities and members of the project’s Tourism Liaison Group (formed of the region’s tourism officers) and several local councillors with responsibility for tourism.

Navitus Bay is embarking on the next round of public consultation on 2nd September, but agreed with local councils to share the socio-economic assessments in advance of this in order that they had a longer time to review the assessment and its analysis, and input in to the mitigation measures that would be developed. Councillors will now have until the end of the public consultation (October 11) to respond.

Mike Unsworth, Project Director at Navitus Bay, said: “Tourism is an important part of the local economy and culture and there is an understandable desire to know how the project may affect the industry. The evidence we’ve gathered has shown that tourism is largely unaffected by projects of this nature and in some instances enhanced. We’d like to replicate the tourism success enjoyed by other offshore wind park locations in the UK and provide support to enhance the region’s tourism offer – which may be through a visitor centre or funding additional tourism resources.

“These initial technical reports are just some of a wide range of studies we are undertaking to help shape our proposal. They help us to assess the potential impacts associated with the proposed development and plan our mitigation measures accordingly.

“It’s important to remember that, if there are any adverse impacts identified as a result of the project, we will develop measures to mitigate against them, where possible, and ensure that they are offset by the benefits the development will bring.

We look forward to working with local authorities to help shape our mitigation measures and ensure the local community maximises fully the opportunities presented by our proposals.”

As well as summarising the findings of several local surveys, the socio-economic chapter also highlights learnings from equivalent offshore wind energy projects in the UK and abroad.

The evidence collected from coastal locations near existing offshore wind parks is mixed but overall indicates that they have very little impact on the local tourism industry. In fact, the research shows that turbines have often boosted tourism in a number of locations, including Great Yarmouth where the Scroby Sands Visitor Centre has become a popular tourist attraction in its own right^(iv).

Likewise, tourism data from Robin Rigg offshore wind farm in Cumbria indicates that there were no noticeably adverse impacts on tourism, either during construction or post-construction. At Rhyl Flats offshore wind farm in North Wales, the number of trips to the area increased following construction, indicating that people are not discouraged from visiting the region.

About the surveys

1. The Tourism Business Survey was conducted by PBA Roger Tym & Partners during March and April 2013. 1,127 businesses which could be considered to derive part or all of their trade from tourism, within a 10km of the coastline closest to the proposed wind park were contacted. After a minimum of three attempts to contact each business, 302 were interviewed in total.
2. Two visitor surveys were conducted by TSE Research
   1. Summer 2012 Visitor Survey: 1,520 visitors were interviewed face-to-face at six sampling points (Bournemouth, Durlston Head, Milford on Sea, Highcliffe Castle, Sandbanks, Isle of Wight (Needles)) between June and September 2012.
   2. Spring 2013 Visitor Survey: 507 visitors were interviewed face-to-face at six sampling points (as above) during March and April 2013.
3. The statistics were compiled by consultants BVG Associates. Three local impact scenarios were used to gauge the potential effect of the wind park: high, medium and low to allow for the variation in how the development may evolve and be received. These figures are based on the ‘high’ scenario.
4. The Scroby Sands Visitor Centre at Great Yarmouth attracted 30,000 visitors in its first six months of operation (from May 2004). Referenced in The impact of wind farms on the tourist industry in the UK.