The European Union Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive requires an EIA to be completed in support of an application for development of certain types of projects, including offshore wind farms. An EIA has been undertaken for the Gunfleet Sands 1 and 2 project resulting in an Environmental Statement (ES), and the Non-Technical Summary (NTS) provides a summary of the key findings of the EIA process.

The EIA has assessed the likely significant impacts of the proposed project on the physical, biological and human environment and, where appropriate, suggested mitigation measures to minimise the severity of any impacts.

Red throated diver

Some of the key areas that have been addressed within the EIA for the Gunfleet 2 project are:

• Birds, fish, mammals and benthic, or the ecology of the seabed
• Shipping and navigation
• Coastal processes
• Visual impact
• Boat traffic
• Noise
• Socio-economics

An EIA was also carried out for the Gunfleet Sands 1 project.

To provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the Gunfleet Sands 2 proposal public exhibitions were organised in June 2007. Almost 300 people attended the public exhibitions in Clacton-on-Sea, Frinton-on-Sea and Jaywick.