| Abstract: |
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by RWE Renewables UK, under the subsidiary Sofia Offshore Wind Farm Limited (SOWFL), to prepare a marine archaeological Technical Report for the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm (SOWF) offshore generation assets (non-OFTO) and transmission assets (OFTO) ahead of the proposed development. The assessment has been undertaken in accordance with the revised Offshore Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) and Protocol for Archaeological Discoveries (PAD) for the SOWFL developments. Wessex Archaeology was also commissioned to undertake an archaeological assessment of ROV survey data gathered nearshore along the OFTO and offshore along the non-OFTO ahead of construction of the proposed development. This was undertaken in two campaigns (Campaign 1 and Campaign 2). For both campaigns the preferred mitigation was avoidance, and therefore only targets that could not readily be microsited around were assessed. In Campaign 1, the ROV assessed 26 targets, five of which were recommended as potential Archaeological (pARCH) targets, and the remaining being pUXO. The five pARCH targets were selected from a list of anomalies of possible archaeological potential classified during the archaeological assessment of geophysical survey data. In Campaign 2, ROV campaign assessed 221 targets, 16 of which were recommended as potential Archaeology (pARCH) targets, and the remaining being potential Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). These 16 pARCH targets were selected from the list of anomalies of possible archaeological potential classified during the archaeological assessment of geophysical survey data from data collected in 2020. An ROV investigation of anomaly 7266, close to the proposed T15 turbine location within the SOWF array area was carried out on 20-21 April 2021, under the onsite direction of the Retained Archaeologists, Wessex Archaeology. The anomaly was initially found by geophysical survey and through ROV investigation identified to be the wreck of an unidentified wooden ship built in the 19th or early 20th century. During Campaign 1, the ROV campaign assessed 26 targets, 5 of which were recommended as potential Archaeology (pARCH) targets, and the remaining being potential Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). The archaeological assessment of ROV survey data assessed all 26 targets. These consist of: One target reported via the PAD (ECR_FABM_SSS_08120B); Modern material, including a clump weight, a metal pipe/pole, fishing gear and an electrical conduit terminal. Relocated outside of the impact area; Twenty natural features, consisting of boulders, left in situ; Five targets of uncertain nature, open for potential further investigation; Two targets not found. During the survey four targets of modern material were relocated beyond the area of impact following confirmation they were not of archaeological significance by the Retained Archaeologist, and therefore are unlikely to be impacted. For the 5 targets of uncertain nature, it is recommended that these are reviewed if reinvestigated. All remaining targets were either natural or nothing found, for which no further work is recommended. During Campaign 2, the ROV campaign assessed 221 targets, 16 of which were recommended as potential Archaeology (pARCH) targets, and the remaining being potential Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). The archaeological assessment of ROV survey data assessed all 221 targets. These consisted of: Two targets of archaeological interest, one lifted and the other moved to wet storage; Two UXO, for these targets, UXO requirements take precedence, and no further archaeological investigation is recommended; 56 targets of modern material, of no archaeological interest; 142 natural features of no archaeological interest; 19 targets where nothing was found. During the survey, 49 targets were moved. |
