Abagold WEC BAR - Anchor Environmental

detailed wave modelling study only be conducted immediately prior tothe commencement of construction activities to inform the design of therock slope.Cumulative impact withmitigationSignificance withmitigationLowLOWB.5. POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO NEIGHBOURING USERS: VISUAL IMPACTS (Alternative 1 and 2)Nature of impact Being nestled below the high walls of the existing Abagold abalone farm,and planned Relmar abalone farm, the WEC would be hardly visible fromthe shore. The 4 m high dam wall would be visible from the sea, butbeing relatively low, visibility would diminish rapidly with distance.The rocky cove site below the abalone farms are in a visually secludedarea, screened in part by rocky promontories and by the high walls ofthe existing abalone farms. The seaward facing slot-slope buffer damwalls are constructed from interlocking precast elements with littleopportunity for alternative surface treatment. These will howeverbecome covered with marine life, which will reduce their visualsignificance.StatusNegativeExtentLocalDurationLong-termIntensityMedium-lowProbability ofHighly probableoccurrenceCumulative impact Medium-lowprior to mitigationSignificance prior to MEDIUM-LOWmitigationDegree to which impactcan be mitigatedNo visual screening from the sea is possible, and therefore no furthermitigation is feasible.Proposed mitigation No further mitigations are feasible in terms of siting and layout. The side walls of the buffer dams should be faced with rough stone,using the local sandstone, to blend with the surrounding rockycoastal landscape, similar to the rough stone facing on the existingwalls of the Abagold abalone farm. Ancillary structures, fencing, signage, and other vertical elementsshould be kept to an absolute minimum to maintain theuncluttered, horizontal profile of the proposed buffer dam walls.Where signage is required, this should be fixed to walls instead offree-standing signs in order to minimise visual clutter. No additional outdoor lighting should be introduced with the waveenergy facility because of the visually exposed nature of the69