Offshore wind - compensating for adverse effects on Protected European Sites: statutory guidance 2026

11. Monitoring

Existing monitoring requirements applicable to offshore wind plans and projects continue to apply. Monitoring remains a critical component of the regulatory framework, supporting compliance, and wider learning to inform future decision‑making.

The Scottish Government is exploring options for the development of a strategic approach to monitoring both the impacts from offshore wind development on the environment and impacts of implemented compensatory measures. This approach is still under consideration. Notwithstanding this, project‑level monitoring of impacts on protected sites and their features remains a required safeguard and must continue as part of post‑consent monitoring.

Monitoring plans must be designed to provide reliable, timely and sufficiently detailed evidence to demonstrate whether compensatory measures are being delivered and are achieving the intended ecological outcomes, as defined in the agreed success criteria.

Monitoring data must meet agreed quality standards, including accuracy, transparency and methodological consistency over time.

11.1 Monitoring Plan Requirements

Monitoring plans should include monitoring for baseline requirements which covers evidence of need, any pilot studies and seabird status monitoring. Monitoring plans should also cover monitoring for success criteria and adaptive management requirements. The timing of the monitoring will depend on the monitoring goal, for example some monitoring may be needed in advance of delivering the compensatory measure.

Monitoring plans should be proportionate to the scale, risk profile and complexity of the compensatory measure and include, where applicable:

• baseline conditions, including reference or control data where appropriate;

• survey methods, including justification of method selection and adherence to recognised standards;

• survey programmes, setting out spatial and temporal coverage;

• success criteria and performance indicators against which progress will be assessed;

• monitoring duration, with justification for the proposed timescale;

• reporting arrangements, including timescales, format and submission routes to Scottish Ministers; and

• clear procedures for responding to under‑performance, including defined triggers for adaptive management or escalation.

Monitoring plans must clearly identify any limitations, assumptions or uncertainties in methods or data and explain how these will be managed.

11.2 Link to Adaptive Management and Escalation

Monitoring must be explicitly linked to adaptive management. Monitoring plans must specify:

• decision points and trigger thresholds indicating under‑performance;

• escalation routes where success criteria are not being met; and

• pre‑defined risk management measures such as adaptive management to address identified issues.

Where under‑performance is identified, corrective action must be taken in a timely manner to ensure that the overall compensatory outcome remains effective and reasonably proportionate.

11.3 Monitoring Principles

Monitoring should:

• be proportionate to ecological risk and uncertainty;

• use robust, scientifically appropriate methods;

• include review intervals that reflect the characteristics of the measure, recognising that higher‑risk or longer‑establishing measures may require more frequent review; and

• generate information early enough to allow issues to be identified and addressed before outcomes are compromised.

Where relevant, baseline surveys must be undertaken prior to implementation. Where appropriate and feasible, the use of control or reference sites should be considered to support interpretation of results.

11.4 Duration and Learning

Monitoring must continue for a period sufficient to demonstrate whether agreed success criteria have been achieved. Where monitoring indicates that a compensatory measure is not functioning as intended, a lessons‑learned appraisal should be undertaken to explain the reasons for under‑performance and identify refinements or alternative actions to improve effectiveness.

11.5 Relationship Between Monitoring and Agreed Compensation

Where monitoring demonstrates that adverse impacts are in fact less significant than predicted, compensation requirements will remain as agreed and secured through consent conditions.

Monitoring plans must be designed to provide reliable, timely, and sufficiently detailed evidence to demonstrate whether the anticipated adverse effect has occurred and whether compensatory measures are delivering the intended ecological outcomes as agreed in the success criteria. Monitoring data must meet agreed quality standards, including requirements for accuracy and methodological consistency over time.