Kentish Flats

Between October 2016 and 28 March 2017, Vattenfall’s consultants carried out 12 licence-mandated boat-based ornithological surveys using an agreed methodology over a 122 km² area that included the Kentish Flats Extension site, the original Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm and a surrounding buffer, fulfilling post-construction monitoring requirements under the Development Consent Order.

The second winter programme of voluntary diver (sea bird) surveys at Kentish Flats was brought to a close with completion of the "Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm: Diver Surveys 2009–10" report in November 2010, documenting the findings from the 2009/2010 focused boat‑based surveys undertaken on behalf of Vattenfall.

Vattenfall began a second winter of voluntary focused boat‑based surveys for diver species at the Kentish Flats wind farm during the 2009/2010 winter, extending investigations into potential effects of the operational turbines on divers beyond the original FEPA monitoring requirements.

Following completion of the statutory FEPA bird monitoring, Vattenfall initiated a first voluntary programme of focused boat‑based winter surveys for diver species at the Kentish Flats wind farm during the 2008/2009 winter, to investigate indications of possible displacement of divers from the operational turbine array.

Authority: Natural England and Marine Fisheries Agency (MFA) · Licence: Acceptance of final FEPA bird monitoring report and closure of FEPA licence ornithological monitoring obligations

In 2008, the statutory bird monitoring required under the FEPA licence for the Kentish Flats offshore wind farm was completed, and the final ornithological monitoring report was accepted by Natural England and the Marine Fisheries Agency, removing any further statutory requirement for ornithological monitoring at the site.

By July 2008, the statutory FEPA ornithological monitoring programme for Kentish Flats—covering baseline, construction and three years of post-construction surveys—had been completed, with Environmentally Sustainable Systems’ final monitoring report accepted by Natural England and the Marine Fisheries Agency, ending the requirement for further statutory bird monitoring at the site.