CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Seascape Assessment for Monmouthshire (National SCA 29)

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

PROJECT AIMS

To contribute to the creation of a single all-Wales nationally consistent seascape character dataset for Wales, for SE Wales, covering the gaps and adding detail, across Monmouthshire from the border with England to include all local SCAs 29a-29s, across to the adjacent SCA 27 and 28.

To adopt the draft spatial units already identified by Natural Resources Wales (open to refinement if where necessary), approximately covering National Marine Character Area 29 as refined on Natural resources Wales’s Local Seascape Character Assessment GIS dataset and shown on the attached map image.

Creating accessible content for adding to the LANDMAP spatial database i.e. openly accessible point and polygon shape files. (NB setting up the LANDMAP database itself is not within the scope).

To link seascape character assessments to current issues on Terrestrial Planning and Placemaking, Marine Planning, Coastal Zone and Shoreline Management, and the Climate and Nature Emergency.

Providing links to further sources of evidence where possible, place-based where possible

Alongside this focused Seascape Assessment work, a survey will be circulated to stakeholders to support wider collaboration and collation of relevant information that will be made available to the successful consultant(s).

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=146872.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

Tasks

1. GIS data – to align with NRW draft Local Seascape Character Areas national spatial dataset, including hyperlinks within the GIS files to full profile descriptions and other sources as relevant. (To be provided both in an agreed separate HTML web page format and separate PDF for each character area. To allow a bespoke hyperlink to the relevant full profile from the respective GIS polygon. allows a bespoke hyperlink to the relevant full profile from the respective GIS polygon.)

Maps for each of the following are required:

Bathymetry and topography

Geology and seabed geology

Geology and seabed sediments

Wave climate

Intervisibility of land with the sea

Landscape designations

Biodiversity designations

Geological designations

Heritage including shipwrecks

Fishing

Recreational activity - coast

Access

Commercial and Military activities

Seascape character types and areas - satellite aerial/transport/ordnance survey

Seascape character areas over admiralty

Habitats (terrestrial & intertidal/marine)

Projects (data will be provided and will require review and expansion)

Coastal erosion/flood risk – from Shoreline Management Plan data

Climate change

Deprivation indices

Data to support production of these maps is available through DataMapWales however there may be other sources of data, and we encourage research to highlight any further data that would support these maps.

Output: Shape/point/polygon files to be delivered alongside screenshots of each map as image files.

2. To produce general character descriptions for the 17 local seascape character areas (29a-s), as defined and should include:

Summary

Key characteristics

Natural Influences, benefits and services

Cultural Influences, benefits and services

Aesthetic, perpetual & experiential qualities (essentially lines of sight, emotional connectivity/feelings and sense of place (supported by data from survey))

Sensitivity assessment: Key factors to be considered when assessing sensitivity to change inc relation to Types of Forces for Change that could affect seascape character (1) identifying elements and features of character that would be susceptible to such change in each area or (2) providing ecosystem cultural / wellbeing benefits or values to people in each area.

Information relating to opportunities for biodiversity and habitat enhancement, and climate change influences should be included where appropriate within these points.

Output: Character descriptions for each local SCA area should be provided as Word documents and any additional imagery as supplementary image files.

Alongside the tasks to be delivered as part of this commission. MCC and Project Partners (led by Beccy Macdonald-Lofts) shall undertake a stakeholder verification exercise. This shall include a strategic seminar and workshop/s to provide an introductory presentation explaining context of Marine Character Areas and how seascape evidence is feeding into the marine planning process together with an overview of seascape work. Discussions will facilitate data to inform all sections of the commissioned output 2. Structure of this delivery to be agreed however, the commissioned consultants shall be expected to attend the workshop/s.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

N/a

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The proposal forms part of a partnership between Monmouthshire LNP, Newport LNP, Cardiff LNP, Severn Estuary Partnership Gwent Wildlife Trust, NRW, RSPB, Living Levels Partnership and local Marine Conservation and Education Consultant, Beccy MacDonald-Lofts. Beccy is a key partner in this project providing facilitation support to Monmouthshire County Council to ensure the timely delivery of the Seascape Assessment.

It forms part of a wider approach towards the management of the Severn Estuary specifically in the development of “The Severn Vision Report (2016) and the Pilot Delivering the Vision for the Bristol Channel and Severn project Report (2022)”. The Vision project looks to co-create a collaborative and resilient Bristol Channel and Severn that enhances and protects its biodiversity and communities as whole. This ambition has been explored by a cross-section of the area’s cross-sector community to form a plan to deliver for people and nature. Through grant funding (2022-23) focus was placed on the prioritisation of the Pilot’s recommendations to determine the actions to be delivered in Phase 2, whilst delivering or progressing small-scale actions.

Activities during this project included:

Stakeholder survey, 1-2-1 interviews, internet trawls to support mapping of projects and cross-referencing against the recommendations

Review and collation of recommendations

Online workshop prioritising and deliberating the reviewed recommendations

Action mapping of the amended recommendations against the aims and themes of the Vision

In-person prioritisation workshop

Development of a Delivery Plan to action the prioritised recommendations

Webinar on the Motion for the Ocean

Workshop on data and evidence with scoping for a conference

Scoping workshop on the potential of a National Marine Park

Development of a Seascapes Assessment Brief

Why seascape character assessment is important

The Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary area is a highly protected and unique Marine /estuarine environment in the UK. It boasts several designations including a Special Protection Area, Ramsar wetland, Site of International Importance, a Special Area of Conservation, and numerous Sites of Special Scientific Interest as well a National and Local Nature Reserves. Its area has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world with mudflats making up much of the intertidal area. The margins are dominated by low lying levels which become inundated with tidal waters without flood protection. Many coastal areas are susceptible to changes arising from the climate and nature emergency. Some development is on low lying ground or is only sustained with coastal protection works to protect against rising sea levels.

Human activity has had a significant impact on the area and has a rich cultural heritage recognised through the designation of the Gwent Levels a Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest, the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, and the Wales Coast Path. Many of our settlements are on or close to the coast and much of our population live within 10km of the coastline which provides many wellbeing benefits for people. However, our coast has been a focus of industry, transport, settlement, tourism, and recreation putting pressure on and leading to a loss of priority habitats and species and poor water quality flowing out of our river catchments.

It is a uniquely balanced landscape which reflects the interface of people, land, sea and the interface of many spatial planning and management issues.

A National level Seascape Assessment (SCA) has been developed as an overview of the Monmouthshire SCA 29 area, however in order to support local delivery for communities and nature, more detailed information is needed covering its associated 17 local SCAs.

(WA Ref:146872)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice