Historic Environment Guidance for the Offshore Renewable Energy Sector.

Wessex Archaeology

This report was commissioned by COWRIE (Collaborative Offshore Windfarm Research Into the Environment). COWRIE is a registered Charity set up to raise awareness and understanding of the potential environmental impacts of the UK offshore windfarm programme. It was created following the completion of the second licensing round for UK offshore windfarms, and is funded by developers' non-refundable option fees. The Charity carries out three inter-related strands of work: Data Management, Education and Communication, and Generic Environmental Research.

This reports provides generic guidance in relation to the survey, appraisal and monitoring of the historic environment during the development of offshore renewable energy projects in the United Kingdom. It covers both the marine and coastal environments and those areas further inland likely to be affected by such developments.

The guidance is intended to promote the development of best practice in relation to the marine historic environment for the offshore renewable energy sector. It is also intended to promote an understanding of the conservation issues arising from the impacts of offshore renewable energy projects on the historic environment, and in this way develop capacity amongst developers, consultants and contractors.