3.7.14 AREA 14 - CARDIGAN TO SILLOTH
 
3.7.14.1 The southern half of this area is one that borders CIL jurisdiction and therefore has been the subject of joint discussions. The northern part is a joint area involving all three GLAs. The area is divided into two sub-areas, Holyhead and the Irish Sea.
   
3.7.14.2 Holyhead
   
3.7.14.2.1 This sub-area commences at Cardigan and terminates off the Isle of Anglesea, with the northern border stretching seaward in a NW direction to the limits of jurisdiction of CIL and NLB.
   
3.7.14.2.2 Cardigan Bay forms a major feature with numerous indentations. The area affords good radar returns. Tide races and tide rips are evident in Cardigan Bay. A number of small craft harbours border the bay. Between Aberystwyth and Bardsey Island the Coastline consists of low-lying ground interspersed with rocky cliffs. Dangerous shoals extend offshore. The prominent headland, formed by the Lleyn Peninsula, lies to the north. Again a number of small craft harbours lie in the region some principally used as yachting centers. The Menai Strait separates the Isle of Anglsey from the mainland. A TSS is established off The Skerries, which lie off the NW extremity of the Anglesey coast. Passages for small craft are available between The Skerres and the Isle of Anglesea. Tidal rates are strongest off the main points and headlands, with races and tide rips.
   
3.7.14.2.3 The port of Holyhead operates a continuous cargo and passenger service to Ireland. Harbours and ports in the Menai Strait provide commercial, as well as fishing and leisure craft, facilities. Within a radius of 10 miles of Skerries Lighthouse some 16,892 commercial vessel movements take place per annum based on 187 routes.
   
3.7.14.3 Irish Sea
   
3.7.14.3.1 The southern part of this sub-area comprises a number of bays, affording suitable shelter for small coasters, fishing and leisure craft. The area is dominated by Liverpool Bay and Morecambe Bay, into each of which flow a number of rivers. The area from Great Ormes Head to the Point of Ayr comprises a combination of low- lying coastline, backed mainly by high land on the North Wales Coast.
   
3.7.14.3.2 Drilling rigs and production platforms are situated in both Liverpool and Morecambe Bays. In addition, within this area are a number of Offshore Wind Farm developments either constructed or planned, which were either part of the initial 18 sites identified for offshore renewable energy, developments under Round 1 of the Government's initiative or the further sites identified under Round 2. These developments included the first major Offshore Wind Farm in UK waters, North Hoyle, which was brought into operation in November 2003. Many of the development sites will impact on the passage planning of vessels in the area. An example of which is detailed below in table 3 and figure 13 below.

Table 3: Key: *in the table indicates where two or more routes have identical Closest Points of Approach and Bearings and have been grouped together.

Reproduced from Admiralty Chart 1826 by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the hydrographic offices of France and the United Kingdom (www.ukho.gov.uk) NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATON

Figure 13: ShipRoutes overlay for some of the routes identified within 10 nm of the Barrow Round 2 Offshore Wind Farm

3.7.14.3.3 A number of shoals and banks are encountered in the approaches to the Dee Estuary and the River Mersey.
   
3.7.14.3.4 Liverpool Bay, the Ribble Estuary and Morecambe Bay all feature low lying coastlines, with considerable areas of drying sands. North of St Bees Head the coastline is deeply indented by several bays, which are wide and separated by bold headlands. A large proportion of the Solway Firth has continually shifting drying sandbanks with channels in between.
   
3.7.14.3.5 Tidal stream rates off the entrance to the Solway Firth are up to 2kts. These rates increase to 4kts as the Firth is approached. The Solway Firth is the site of another Round I Offshore Wind Farm, which is situated wholly within an adjacent area (see Overview for Area 1).
   
3.7.14.3.6 Commercial, as well as fishing and leisure traffic, make for the ports of Liverpool, Barrow, Silloth, Fleetwood, Lancaster, Workington and the Dee. In addition to freight, Heysham handles passenger traffic to and from Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man and is a support base for the Morecambe Gas Field. A number of other smaller ports/harbours in the sub-area are principally used by fishing and leisure craft.
   
3.7.14.3.7 Within a radius of 20 miles of the Bar Light Float there are some 11,712 commercial vessel movements per annum over 188 routes. This compares with some 3,968 commercial vessel movements over 30 routes within a 20-mile radius of St Bees Lighthouse.
   
3.7.14.4 The main AtoN changes proposed for this area are, as follows:-