This report, written by The Biodiversity Consultancy (TBC) on behalf of the OWIC-led SCS project, forms part of the SCS infrastructure removal work package and aims to provide an initial investigation into the potential for removing defunct infrastructure in UK marine waters as a means of providing ecological compensation when Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are adversely affected by residual impacts from OW development. Using publicly available data, the study maps the distribution and status (e.g. abandoned or not in use) of various infrastructure types, including pipelines, cables, coastal defences, and other marine installations, within and around the UK’s MPAs, including Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), Highly Protected Marine Areas (HMPAs) and Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (NCMPAs).
The maps included in this report offer a high-level overview of the presence and distribution of redundant infrastructure. Alongside this report, and the maps contained within, an online mapping tool has been developed. This tool incorporates various datasets, displaying only redundant or disused infrastructure, and enables users to explore these data in greater detail and at a finer resolution as well as to investigate additional context surrounding the MPAs, such as proximity to windfarms and marine habitat types. Subsequent maps included within this report have been produced using the online tool as an example of some of its capabilities.
The online tool can be accessed here, using the following login details:
