Invitation to tender: Billia Croo Environmental Appraisal and Seascape, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment

EMEC currently holds a site-wide Section 36 consent for its full-scale tidal test site, Fall of Warness, which has proven to significantly streamline the consenting process for developers testing at the site. 

EMEC is preparing to apply for a similar consent for its full-scale wave test site, Billia Croo, to further improve the consenting process at the site. A Section 36 consent is required under the Electricity Act 1989, in order to generate greater than 1MW. To date, developers at the Billia Croo test site have acquired the consent themselves, whereas now, EMEC is hoping to achieve an overarching site-wide consent which will allow an envelope of device types to install and operate at the site.

EMEC is in the process of procuring external expertise to support the development of an Environmental Appraisal and Seascape, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to pre-appraise the potential effects, both positive and negative, that such devices may have on the surrounding environment. Gaining a site-wide Section 36 consent shall facilitate future and current developers at the test site to install within a quicker timescale and without the need for extensive environmental assessment.

Organisations with relevant expertise to deliver an Environmental Appraisal and/or a Seascape, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment to support EMEC’s Section 36 consent application, are invited to tender through Public Contract Scotland.

Aerial of EMEC Billia Croo wave test site (Credit Colin Keldie)