Preface
This document forms the non-technical summary (NTS) of the Environmental Statement (ES) that accompanies an application made by SSE Renewables Developments (UK) Ltd (‘the Applicant’) for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the construction and generation of electricity from the Dalnessie Wind Farm (‘the Development’), and deemed planning permission for the same development under Section 57(2), of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended by The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006).
The ES comprises the following volumes:
• Volume I: Text;
• Volume II: Figures;
• Volume III A: Landscape and Visual Visualisations;
• Volume III B: Landscape and Visual Supplementary Information; and
• Volume IV: Technical Appendices.
Additional documentation that will be submitted with the Section 36 application includes:
• Planning Statement;
• Design Statement;
• Pre-Application Consultation Report; and
• Non-Technical Summary.
The ES (Text, Figures and Technical Appendices) and associated documents will be available for viewing during normal business hours at the following locations:
Lairg Service Point The Highland Council Headquarters
Police Station Glenurquhart Road
Main Street Inverness
Lairg IV3 5NX
Sutherland IV27 4DB
The Highland Council Drummuie
Golspie KW10 6TA
The ES will also be available for purchase, at £250 for paper copies and £25 for an electronic version on CD, from:
SSE Renewables Developments (UK) Ltd 1 Waterloo Street 5th Floor
Glasgow G2 6AY
Non-Technical Summary
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Introduction
This non-technical summary (NTS) forms part of the Environmental Statement (ES) which accompanies an application by SSE Renewables Developments (UK) Ltd (‘the Applicant’) to the Scottish Government for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the construction and operation of Dalnessie Wind Farm (‘the Development’). The Development will comprise 27 wind turbines and associated infrastructure with a total potential installed capacity of between 67.5 MegaWatts (MW) and 81MW. It is located approximately 13km north-east of Lairg in Sutherland in the Highlands as shown on Figure NTS 1.
The Applicant is a company incorporated under the laws of Scotland and is a 100% owned subsidiary of the publically quoted company SSE. SSE is a FTSE-100 company, formed in 1998 from the merger of Scottish Hydro Electric plc and Southern Electric plc. The company is headquartered in Perth, Scotland and employs around 20,000 people. Core activities include electricity generation, transmission distribution and supply; gas storage, distribution and supply; the operation of a telecoms network; utility contracting; and electrical and gas appliance retailing. The company has a market capitalisation of around £10 billion, and supplies around 10 million customers in Great Britain and Ireland under the Scottish Hydro-Electric, Southern Electric, Swalec and Atlantic and Airtricity brands. The company is co-owner of Scotia Gas Networks, which owns and operates the ‘Scotland’ and ‘South of England’ regional gas distribution networks. The gas network business employs around a further 5,000 staff.
SSE’s power generation assets total around 11,375MW, comprising 4,467MW of gas and oil-fired capacity; 4,370MW coal-fired capacity and 2,538MW of renewable (including pumped storage, hydro, wind and biomass) capacity.
SSE Renewables Developments (UK) Ltd is the renewable energy development division of SSE. SSE has over 20 onshore wind farms in operation in Scotland and Ireland totalling around 910MW. Wind farms totalling 710MW are under construction and a further 300MW with consent for development.
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EIA Process and Methodology
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process aimed to ensure that applications for developments with potentially significant effects on the environment are appropriately assessed and the environmental effects quantified. The assessment must be carried out following consultation with statutory consultees, other interested bodies and members of the public. The information that an applicant is required to submit as part of the EIA process (as specified in Schedule 4 of the EIA Regulations) is presented in the ES.
Consultation has formed an integral role throughout the EIA process, including at the following key stages:
• Pre-Scoping - obtaining initial feedback on the draft Development;
• Scoping, public exhibitions, and meeting with key statutory consultees - identification of key issues;
• Technical Assessments - collecting baseline information through desktop assessment and environmental surveys on-site and confirming survey methodologies; and
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• Informing site design - communication with the local community and statutory consultees.
As part of the wider consultation process, public exhibitions were held during March 2011 and December 2011 in Lairg. The exhibitions provided members of the public the opportunity to learn more about the Development, feed in to the design process and to ask any questions.
Before the initial exhibitions a scoping opinion request was issued in June 2010 with the accompanying Scoping Report. This was submitted to the Energy Consents Unit alongside other consultees and interested bodies. All responses to the scoping report have been considered fully by each of the technical disciplines in their methodology and assessment. Further detail on the community consultation process is provided in a separate Pre-Application Consultation Report submitted to accompany the application.
Renewable Energy Policy Context and Alternative
Technologies
In 2008 the European Commission published proposals for reducing the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and increasing the proportion of final energy consumption from renewable sources to 20%. Both targets are to be achieved by 2020. For the UK, the European Commission’s proposals include 16% reduction in UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and for 15% of all energy consumed in the UK to come from renewable sources by 20201.
The UK Renewable Energy Strategy (UKRES) sets out the means by which the UK can meet the legally binding target of 15% of energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. This will mean a very substantial increase in the share of renewables in about a decade. The majority of this is expected to come from wind power, both on and offshore. The document makes it clear that the UKRES is an integral part of the Government’s overall UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and that the Devolved Administrations have a leadership role to undertake.
The Scottish Government is committed to promoting the increased use of renewable energy sources to help tackle climate change and to support economic growth in Scotland. In July 2011 the Scottish Government published the “Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland” (’the Routemap’). This document outlines Scotland’s renewables ambition and paths to delivery and provides an increase in Scottish Government’s renewable energy generation target to 100% by 2020. This is a significant increase in targets set in previous years. The Routemap specifically recognises the scale of the challenge that requires to be addressed to meet the revised 2020 targets and provides a summary of the main challenges that require to be addressed to meet the 2020 renewables targets, one of which is ‘consents and planning’.
The mechanism introduced to achieve the UK and Scottish renewables targets is the Renewables Obligation, which aims to incentivise the further development of renewables. The Renewables Obligation obliges electricity supply companies to source prescribed proportions of their total supply from eligible renewable resources, or pay a ‘buy out’ fee
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This 15% figure compares to only 3% in 2009, as confirmed in the National Renewable Energy Action Plan for the UK, page 5, July 2010.
per MWh of shortfall. In order to meet its obligation, the Applicant must develop eligible renewable energy sources on a large scale.
The Applicant’s renewable energy strategy to meet its Renewable Obligation is diverse and a wide range of alternative technologies has been considered. In all, SSE now has 3,780MW of renewable energy capacity (onshore wind, offshore wind, hydro and dedicated biomass) in operation, under construction or with consent for development in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The Development therefore forms part of a broader renewable energy strategy being implemented by the Applicant in response to UK and Scottish Government policy.
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Design Evolution
The Applicant’s approach to site selection is an ongoing process where candidate sites are identified in accordance with national and local planning policy, government targets, Renewable UK guidance and a range of environmental and technical parameters. It is the Applicant’s opinion that the site selection process and the detailed work undertaken for the EIA has confirmed the Dalnessie site is an acceptable site for wind farm development. The design process is a balance between minimising negative environmental effects, achieving a technically viable site and maximising energy yield, and the wind farm layout has evolved throughout the duration of the EIA. This iterative approach has allowed the findings of the public consultation exercise along with results from the EIA to guide the evolution of the wind farm design and has allowed the Development to be modified in order to avoid, reduce or mitigate potential effects as far as reasonably practicable. Specific environmental drivers have been:
• Landscape and visual;
• Ornithology; • Ecology; • Hydrology; • Cultural heritage; • Noise; and • Peat stability.
The design process commenced with a preliminary layout which optimised wind yield and took account of topographical constraints and characteristics such as slope and watercourses. This layout comprised 35 turbines, however following consideration of the EIA the layout was refined to result in the final design of 27 turbines and associated infrastructure.
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Description of Development
The operational Development would comprise:
• 27 wind turbines of up to 121m (to tip) height;
• Crane hardstandings for each turbine;
• Site entrance and upgraded access track from the public road (A836);
• New on-site access tracks between turbines, including passing bays and turning points;
• Two permanent meteorological masts nominal height 73.5m;
• On-site power collection system including turbine transformers, underground cables, electrical control building;
• Permanent signage; and
• Associated works.
The proposed layout of the Development is shown in Figure NTS 2.
In addition to the above components of the operational wind farm, the construction phase will involve the following associated components:
• One main temporary construction compound located adjacent to the site access track;
• Four on-site borrow pits;
• On-site concrete batching;
• Two temporary meteorological assessment masts (approved under separate planning applications); and
• Site signage.
The land-take for all Development infrastructure is approximately 25.4ha. During the construction phase, further land on-site will be required and restored mainly for the construction compound, concrete batching plant and borrow pits.
A peat landslide and hazard risk assessment has been undertaken and is included as Technical Appendix 5.1. The report provides an assessment of the peat stability conditions based on a desk study of available information and subsequent site studies, including a peat probing survey, to identify any evidence of peat instability. The overall conclusion is that there is a negligible to low risk of peat instability over most of the site with some limited areas of medium risk, where a hazard impact assessment was completed. Subject to the employment of appropriate mitigation measures outlined within the ES all these areas can be considered as an insignificant risk.
Further detailed surveys will be undertaken during the pre-construction phase and turbines, associated infrastructure and associated access tracks may microsited in any direction – with the approval of on-site archaeologists, ecologists or any other relevant specialist supervising the works, or by up to 100m with the approval of the Planning Authority and appropriate consultees such as Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
It is intended to utilise an existing section of track taken from the A836 up to Dalnessie. In order to accommodate abnormal load delivery this 6km section of track will require upgrading and widening. Approximately 4.5km of the A836 will require widening in places. Site access points and routes utilised during the operation and decommissioning phases are anticipated to be the same as those site access points and routes used during the construction phase.
New access tracks will be constructed to provide routes to the turbine locations. The total length of new access tracks required would be approximately 20km. New access tracks will have a typical running width of 6m with passing places and turning circles. Based on available ground investigation data, it is anticipated that a ‘floating track’ design would likely be required for approximately 14.5km of access tracks on-site. Where a floating track solution is considered inappropriate or where a suitable foundation horizon is typically less than 1m a ‘cut track’ design will be used. This cut track design is anticipated for approximately 5.5km of tracks on-site. The access tracks will be retained throughout the operational life of the Development to enable maintenance of the turbines and
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replacement of any turbine components. Access tracks may also be retained following decommissioning for use by landowners.
It is estimated that approximately 195,000m3 of stone will be required for construction of the Development. This includes suitable capping material to form a durable wearing surface on the access tracks. . A total of four search area locations for potential borrow pits have been identified. It is anticipated that the majority of stone will be sourced from on-site borrow pits in order to minimise haulage distances
The Development has been designed to have an operational life of 25 years. At the end of this period the wind farm will either be decommissioned, or an application made for consent to extend its operational life. Therefore, unless a successful application is made for consent to extend its operational life it is estimated that the decommissioning phase of the Development will take approximately 18 months.
A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) has been submitted as part of the ES (Technical Appendix 5.3). This outlines best practice methods which will be adhered to during constriction and which are treated as embedded within the Development design for the purposes of assessment. This will be refined, developed and streamlined as the project proceeds during the pre-construction phase in consultation with relevant statutory consultees and would be monitored by the relevant site project manager for compliance.
Planning
The Development, due to the electricity generation capacity exceeding 50MW, is submitted under the terms of Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and Section 57 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
In considering the application under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 the Scottish Ministers must also fulfil the requirements of Paragraph 3 of Schedule 9 to that Act. If Section 36 consent is granted the Scottish Ministers may also direct that planning permission for the development is deemed to be granted.
It is necessary to provide a review of national, as well as local planning policy. There are a number of individual policies within the statutory Development Plans that are of potential relevance to the Development. The statutory Development Plan for the Development consists of the following Structure and Local Plan:
• The Highland Structure Plan (approved 2001); and
• The Sutherland Local Plan (adopted 2010).
The relevant policies from the statutory Development Plan are set out within the planning chapter of the ES. There is also a suite of national planning policy, Planning Advice Notes (PANs), an emerging Local Development Plan and draft Supplementary Guidance that are also of some relevance to the Development. These include:
• The National Planning Framework 2;
• Scottish Planning Policy;
• The Scottish Governments Web Based Renewables Guidance;
• The draft Highland Wide Local Development Plan;
• The Highland Renewable Energy Strategy and Planning Guidelines; and
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The Applicant has submitted a separate Planning Policy Statement which assesses, in detail, the Development in the context of the relevant Development Plan policies, national planning policy and advice, renewable energy policy, SPG and other material considerations.
Landscape and Visual Assessment
The purpose of the landscape and visual assessment is to identify and records the potential significant effects that the Development may have on physical elements of the landscape such as moorland ground cover; on landscape character; on areas that have been designated for their scenic or landscape-related qualities; and on views from various locations such as settlements, roads, hilltops and other sensitive locations. The potential effects of the Development on SNH ‘Search Area for Wild Land’ and wildness qualities are also considered, as are cumulative effects that may arise from the addition of the Development to other wind farms.
The principal effects of the Development on the landscape and visual resource will arise during the operational phase of the wind farm, although construction and decommissioning phases are also likely to result in some effects.
The landscape and visual assessment is carried out across a study area that extends to a radius of 35km from the nearest turbine in the Development. The assessment has indicated that the Development will result in significant effects on the landscape and visual resource within this study area, as described below.
There will be significant effects on the landscape character of the site and its surroundings up to a maximum distance of around 9km from the Development, although this will only be the case where there is notable visibility of the Development; there are extensive areas within this approximate radius that will have no effect or negligible effect due to lack of visibility or very limited visibility. The significant effects on landscape character result primarily from the level of visibility of the Development, the contrast of the Development with the generally undeveloped landscape, and the resulting influence that the Development will have on the landscape context.
There will also be significant effects on parts of the proposed Ben Klibreck and Loch Choire Special Landscape Area (SLA), which lies to the north and east of the Development. The significantly affected areas of the proposed SLA are the elevated areas of ground and the south and south-west facing slopes that gain visibility of the Development; other areas will gain no or negligible visibility and will have a very limited effect.
None of the other designated areas within the 35km radius study area will be significantly affected by the Development, including National Scenic Areas, Gardens and Designed Landscapes and four other proposed SLAs.
The assessment of effects on views is informed by 20 viewpoints that have been selected, in agreement with SNH and The Highland Council, to represent visibility of the Development from sensitive locations throughout the study area. There will be significant effects on eight of these 20 representative viewpoints. The most distant of these is at Viewpoint 12 (Sallachy) 14.49km from the Development, where very specific circumstances result in the Development having a defining effect on the view. The other viewpoints that will have significant effects are the Right of Way to the south of the site; Ben Klibreck; Ben Armine; Loch Choire; Ben Armine; track to Ben Armine Lodge; Blarbuie; and Meall Dola.
These viewpoints lie at various distances and in various directions around the Development, and the significant effects arise largely as a result of the contrast that the Development will have with the baseline views that are available from these locations. There will be no significant effects on the routes (including the A836) or settlements (including Lairg) that have been included in the assessment due to the very limited visibility of the Development that is available.
The Development will have a significant effect on part of an SNH Search Area for Wild Land, within which the Development lies. Extensive areas of wild land within the Search Area will however remain unaffected by the Development due to lack of visibility and these will remain as wild land.
As well as assessing the effect of the Development itself, the landscape and visual assessment assesses the cumulative effect that the addition of the Development may have in conjunction with other operational, consented, application and relevant scoping stage wind farms.
The cumulative assessment indicates that the consideration of the Development in conjunction with operational and consented wind farms (including Achany, Rosehall, Gordonbush, Lairg, Kilbraur and Kilbraur Extension) will result in very few significant cumulative effects. In relation to landscape character, these are found in some very small parts of the landscape character types around the Development and in one specific part of the proposed Ben Klibreck and Loch Choire SLA. There are also two viewpoints where a significant cumulative effect will arise; Viewpoint 13, Meall Dola, and Viewpoint 19, Hope Hill. These significant cumulative effects occur due to the relationship of the Development and the other wind farms.
When other proposed wind farms are also considered, the cumulative effects vary. When the Development is considered in conjunction with Strathy North (an application stage wind farm at the time of the assessment) and Strathy South as well as well as operational and consented wind farms, it will not result in any changes to the significance of the cumulative effects. When the Development is considered in conjunction with Braemore as well as operational and consented wind farms, it will not result in any changes to the significance of the cumulative effects on landscape character receptors and the representative viewpoints, but will give rise to a significant cumulative effect on the A836. When Sallachy (which was at scoping stage at the time of the assessment) is considered as well as operational and consented wind farms, the Development will lead to additional significant cumulative effects on landscape character and will slightly increase the area of significant cumulative effect on the proposed Ben Klibreck and Loch Choire SLA. Viewpoint 6, Ben Klibreck summit, would also have a significant cumulative effect, as will Viewpoint 13, Beinn Sgeireach, and the A838. The increase in significant cumulative effects arising when Sallachy is also considered is due to the increased extent of wind farms around the settings of these elevated landscapes, viewpoints, and route.
When all wind farms are considered (operational and consented, application and relevant scoping stage), the addition of the Development will result in significant cumulative effects on increased areas of landscape character and increased parts of the proposed Ben Klibreck and Loch Choire Special Landscape Area, as well as Viewpoint 6 (Ben Klibreck),
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Viewpoint 8 (Ben Armine), Viewpoint 13 (Ben Sgeireach), Viewpoint 15 (Meall Dola), Viewpoint 19 (Hope Hill), the A836 and the A838.
The design of the Development has been considered throughout the assessment process, in relation to ten Design Principles that were established at the outset of the project (described in full in Appendix 7.6). The final design of the Development is considered to be the best possible solution in terms of these Design Principles, and can be summarised as follows:
• The Development is a clear, ordered and compact feature that has a simple visual image when seen from key viewpoints. It relates to its landform setting, appearing as a contained, isolated feature, and is contained within a dip on the skyline when seen from key viewpoints and is of appropriate scale for the landform and landform context. The pattern of the landscape is maintained and the Development is associated with the large-scale, simple moorland rather than adjacent landscapes, maintaining a clear distinction; and
• The Development avoids the higher ground closer to Ben Klibreck and has a clear separation from this focal point in views. Notable vertical impact on the skyline close to Ben Klibreck and the pSLA as a whole is avoided, and effects on Loch Choire glen are minimised. Settlements and residential viewers will gain limited visibility of the Development, and there is also limited visibility from the A836.
Ornithology
The possible key ornithological effects relating to the Development are its potential to adversely affect the conservation status of bird populations (particularly those given the highest levels of statutory protection through inclusion in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive and/or Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)) through land-take, disturbance, displacement, collisions with the turbines and/or barrier effects. Some or all of these effects may occur as a result of construction activities, operation of the wind farm and decommissioning activities.
The baseline gathering processes involved a combination of desk based studies, consultation and bird surveys to assess the potential impacts of the wind farm development on breeding and migrating birds. Potential impacts associated with construction and operation, together with the risk of bird collision with turbines were also assessed. All survey work and assessments followed the latest guidance provided by Scottish Natural Heritage.
The Development site is of low conservation value in terms of breeding birds when considered in the context of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Natural Heritage Zone (NHZ).
Golden plover, dunlin and greenshank breed at low densities close to the proposed wind turbine area. Population reductions due to habitat loss are likely to be minimal. Habitat loss arising from track networks, borrow pits and turbine bases is unlikely to result in adverse impacts. Any impacts are likely to be low and have negligible significance. Impacts of direct habitat loss on breeding raptors such as golden eagles are likely to be minimal. Any impacts are likely to be low and have negligible significance.
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Surveys allowed for the collection of flight path data on species that may forage or simply fly over substantial parts of the site. Flight activity by species with high ornithological value comprised mainly golden eagles during the two year long surveys.
Using a 500m diameter buffer around each turbine, flight maps were combined with survey effort and flight height to estimate the number of flights that were likely to pass within the “at risk” volume of the turbines during the course of a year. Collision risk assessments predicted the loss of approximately 2.4 golden eagles over the 25 year life of the wind farm. These potential losses alone, and in combination with other wind farms in the region, are not predicted to adversely affect the stability of the golden eagle population in the NHZ.
Potential impacts on birds arising from the construction and operation of the Development are predicted to be minimal. An ecologist will monitor all construction works undertaken during the bird breeding season (March to August) to ensure that disturbance to breeding birds is minimised by the implementation of specific mitigation measures such as the creation of temporary 'no-go' areas to protect ground nesting birds within the construction site.
Ecology
An ecological impact assessment has been carried out in accordance with the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) (2006)2 Guidelines. This was based on data from a series of ecological surveys, consultations and desk based literature reviews that followed recognised ecological guidelines. The information was used to generate a picture of the ecological baseline and assess the effects of the Development on the ecological interests of the area.
The desk-based assessment identified there are seven sites designated for nature conservation importance within 10km of the turbine development area, ranging from a distance of 0.4km away to 9.1km away. A further one designated site is located outwith 10km of the turbine development area but within 1km of an outlying borrow pit associated with the Development. No significant effects are anticipated on the features of these designations.
Several of the habitats present on the site are protected under Annex I of the EC Habitats Directive and the Habitats Regulations 1994 (as amended), including blanket bog, Northern Atlantic wet heaths, European dry heaths and alpine and boreal heaths. Many of the habitats present on the site have been impacted by management activities such as heavy grazing. As a result these habitats are not in pristine condition. Mitigation for habitat loss will be achieved on-site through the implementation of the CEMP and habitat specific measures outlined within the Habitat Management Plan (HMP) (Technical Appendix 9.5). Mitigation details would be subject to agreement of the Council and SNH, in liaison with SSE and the estate’.
Without mitigation, there are a number of protected species that could be affected by construction and operation of the wind farm:
• Otter – through habitat loss, disturbance and pollution impacts;
• Bat species - through habitat loss, disturbance and pollution impacts as well as collision with turbines;
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• Water vole - through habitat loss, disturbance and pollution impacts; and
• Pine marten - through habitat loss, disturbance and pollution impacts.
There are 57 new and upgraded watercourse crossings proposed as part of the Development site. In addition, there is the potential to affect aquatic habitats, freshwater species, and to cause temporary disturbance to fish. The area of habitat loss associated with each crossing will be negligible. Without mitigation, the freshwater fish species that could be affected by construction and operation of the Development include:
• Atlantic salmon - through habitat loss, fragmentation, disturbance and pollution impacts; and
• Trout species - through habitat loss, fragmentation, disturbance and pollution impacts. During operation, the risk of pollution incidences from maintenance activities is low as these will be carried out infrequently and with the necessary preventative measures in place.
A range of mitigation measures have been undertaken through the design of the Development for all stages of the project development, in order to minimise the potential for negative effects, including:
• Design – e.g. minimising new tracks by utilising existing tracks, avoiding areas of deep peat and using bridge crossings to minimise the number of culverts, avoidance of areas of importance for protected species;
• Pre-construction – pre-construction surveys to check and account for changes in baseline conditions (e.g. presence of protected species etc);
• Construction – use of Construction Method Statements and a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) to control construction activities, an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) on site, application of best practice construction methods and best practice measures for protected species such as otters;
• Operation – periodic checking of vehicle and equipment condition to prevent leaks and spills, and best practice maintenance activities, mitigation to enhance and protect habitats across the site; and
• Decommissioning – similar measures to construction period.
Providing the best practice and mitigation measures outlined in the CEMP and HMP are fully implemented, the assessment has concluded that there will be no significant negative effects anticipated on any conservation site or locally occurring habitats or species of importance, and therefore no significant residual effects are expected.
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Traffic and Transportation
Halcrow were appointed to investigate the traffic effects associated with developing a new wind farm at Dalnessie in the Scottish Highlands. The ES chapter has focused on the scope of the assessment, identifying the policy context, outlining the methodology used, establishing the baseline conditions and summarising the evaluation of the effects.
Relevant planning policy and guidance has been considered including ‘Scotland’s Transport Future’, published by the Scottish Government, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), published by the Scottish Government in February 2010, Regional Transport Policy, and the Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment produced by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).
The assessment has been undertaken in accordance with the ‘Guidelines for the Environmental Assessment of Road Traffic’ which have complemented professional judgement and the experience of trained assessors. The guidelines were used as a screening process to define the geographical boundaries of this assessment. Having identified the environmental effects to be considered and the road network to be included, the next stage of the assessment was to quantify the magnitude of the environmental effects and, critically, to identify the level of significance that such a change may have, taking into account an evaluation of the sensitivity and value of the receptors.
To determine the baseline conditions a review of the roads hierarchy, a review of traffic count data and a site visit (to visually assess the general nature and condition of the routes around the site) were undertaken to help determine the best routes to site based on the most suitable routes in terms of hierarchy and traffic volume, to accommodate construction traffic. The routes identified have been chosen to allow travel to the site from the widest catchment area on the most appropriate types of road.
The potential effects of the Development include severance, driver delay, pedestrian delay, pedestrian amenity, fear and intimidation and accidents and safety.
A number of mitigation measures are proposed to reduce the adverse effects of the construction traffic and include:
• The careful consideration of the roads network to identify a preferred route or routes to and from the development access junctions;
• A suitable access junction from the A836 will need to be provided to accommodate the construction traffic including the abnormal load deliveries;
• Road widening of the single track section of the A836 (from the junction with the A838 to the site access);
• Traffic management measures including police escort abnormal load movements, abnormal loads escorting vehicles, regulated site working hours, additional warning and speed control signs, a construction liaison committee, and a driver’s induction;
• Avoiding transit through rural communities at school arrival and departure times;
• A communications protocol to avoid delays with emergency vehicle traffic;
• A diary of proposed delivery movements to liaise with the communities to avoid key dates such as fetes etc; and
• Working with local businesses to ensure the construction traffic does not interfere with deliveries or normal business traffic.
No mitigation measures during operation are envisaged as, during the operation of the wind farm, it is predicted that there will only be a very small number of vehicle movements per week for maintenance purposes.
Based on existing traffic data, the estimated volume of construction traffic, the methodology outlined above and considering the potential effects, an assessment of the residual effect has been made. The assessment concludes that no significant effects are predicted.
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Hydrology and Hydrogeology
The Hydrology and Hydrogeology chapter assesses the effect of the Development on the hydrological, hydrogeological and geological environment. The assessment covers an area
larger than the site boundary to include the lower reaches of watercourses that are present within the Development site.
The assessment has involved consultation with statutory consultees, detailed desk studies and assessment of effects taking into account specific receptor sensitivities. The assessment has also provided a detailed suite of measures to avoid and mitigate against identified adverse effects.
Surface water hydrology and hydromorphology for the proposal has been described and mapped in the ES. The Development lies within the catchments of the River Brora and the River Tirry. The Lairg and Strath Brora Lochs Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are located in the vicinity of the forestry commission track and associated borrow pits with several designated sites within 5km of the site boundary.
The Development site is typical of an upland environment characterised by a complex hydrological network, with boggy areas and extensive areas of peat haggs formed as a result of fluvial erosion and weathering. Due to the underlying geology and the extensive peat deposits the site catchments display a ‘flashy’ response to heavy rainfall.
Water quality has been evaluated for the main watercourses in the vicinity of the Development, the majority of watercourses on the site have been classified as having good water quality.
There is no Scottish Water assets present within the vicinity of the site. There is one private water supply, a groundwater borehole that is unlikely to be affected due to its depth and the distance from major excavations associated with the Development.
There are also fishing interests throughout the study area, with the River Brora showing healthy populations of trout that indicate good long term water quality. The River Tirry is also considered to have a healthy population of fish species, namely brown trout.
The geomorphology of the Development area has also been described in the ES. Owing to the impermeable nature of the bedrock, peat and peaty soils dominate the area occupied by the Development. The vast majority of peat depths recorded are between 1.5 and 3m. The Development has been designed to avoid hydrologically sensitive areas and buffer zones have been adopted for watercourses and ephemeral drainage channels. Where access necessitates essential watercourse crossings, tracks have infringed on these buffers. A watercourse crossing assessment has been carried out for the 57 new and upgraded crossings identified and suitable crossing types suggested.
An assessment has been carried out of the likely impacts of the Development on the hydrological and hydrogeological environment. The assessment has considered site preparation; borrow pit excavation, civil works during construction, operation and decommissioning of the Development.
A comprehensive suite of mitigation and best practice measures has been incorporated into the design, including extensive buffer areas. A number of planning, design and construction proposals have been identified, full details of the assumed best practice construction management and mitigation measures are provided in Technical Appendix 5.3: Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP).
Assuming the successful design and implementation of mitigation measures the significance of construction effects on all indentified receptors is considered to be of minor or no significance. The assessment of predicted ongoing and operational effects has also determined that significance of effects on all receptors to be of minor or no significance. The significance of effects on the site hydrological and groundwater regime are not
significant under the terms of the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment)
(Scotland) Regulations 2000.
Cumulative Effects have been assessed and are expected to be minor.
A programme of surface water quality monitoring has been provided and should include pre-construction monitoring to establish a baseline against which construction results can be compared. The monitoring will help to identify areas where infrastructure is having a negative effect on the peat and utilise the appropriate methods to prevent further deterioration and/or promote further enhancement.
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Cultural Heritage and Archaeology
The Cultural Heritage chapter has considered the potential effects of the Development upon cultural heritage assets, defined here as relict features predating the First Edition Ordnance Survey map, selected later features of historic interest, such as wartime and industrial features, and all designated assets such as listed buildings and scheduled monuments. Potential effects upon the physical fabric and setting of assets have been considered. The assessment has been undertaken by CFA Archaeology Ltd, informed by scoping opinions and data provided by Historic Scotland and The Highland Council’s Historic Environment Team.
The assessment was designed to identify any sites or features of cultural heritage interest present within proposed development areas and Delivery Route (A836 public road upgrade) through the examination of desk-based sources and field reconnaissance, and to identify any key receptors within 15km of the Development that could have their settings affected.
The results of this work suggest that the archaeological potential within proposed Development areas is low to negligible. There are known prehistoric sites within the Development area: south-west of Dalnessie Farm, along the proposed site access track but the majority of the identified sites are of probable post-medieval date. The turbine area, at an altitude above 300m, contains no cultural heritage sites or features.
Fifty-nine sites were identified within proposed development areas: either along the site access track, along the proposed Delivery Route, or along the forest road access to the borrow pits; none were found within the proposed turbine area. Two scheduled monuments along the site access track and seven along the access to the proposed borrow pits, containing prehistoric and post medieval remains, are of national importance and high sensitivity; one other site, a depopulated township, is of regional importance and medium sensitivity; and, the remainder are of either local or lesser importance and low or negligible sensitivity.
The Development layout has been designed to avoid all known cultural heritage remains and no identified sites would receive any direct effect. Mitigation measures are proposed
to ensure the protection of surviving remains that lie in close proximity to proposed Development works.
There would be no significant indirect effects on the setting of any important heritage assets in the wider landscape from the Development, either alone or in combination with other operational, consented or proposed (applications or scoping) wind farms in the wider landscape.
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Noise
Noise will be emitted by equipment and vehicles used during construction and decommissioning of the wind farm and by the turbines during operation. The level of noise emitted by the sources and the distance from those sources to the receiver locations are the main factors determining levels of noise at receptor locations. An assessment of the effects of noise during construction and operation of the Development has been carried out.
Construction Noise
During construction, noise may result from the use of plant and machinery to carry out construction activities, the extraction of rock from borrow pits by blasting and mechanical means, upgrading of local roads to accommodate the deliveries of turbine components and from increased traffic on the local roads network.
Noise levels resulting from construction have been predicted and assessed in accordance with the relevant British Standard (BS5228: Code of practice for noise and vibration control
on construction and open sites). Due to the large distances between the nearest houses
and the locations of most construction activities, the resulting noise levels would be within recommended limits and are therefore not considered to be significant. It will be necessary to carry out some upgrading works to the A836 between its junction with the A838 and the site entrance. There are some houses situated close to this section of road which may experience elevated levels of construction noise whilst these works are being carried out. It is unlikely that the noise levels would exceed recommendations for longer than one month, a duration which is defined as the minimum for effects to be considered as significant. Similarly, construction of access tracks to the site may cause elevated noise levels for a short period at Dalnessie, but this is not considered to be a significant effect due to its short duration.
Best practice measures, as described in the Construction Environmental Management Plan, would be employed in order to minimise the effects of construction noise as far as is reasonably practicable.
The effects of increased traffic noise during construction have also been assessed and have been found to be not significant. A traffic management plan will be agreed with the local authority, which is likely to include restriction on the times that deliveries to site can take place. This will assist in minimising the effects of noise from construction traffic.
It is likely that some blasting will be required to extract stone from borrow pits. Good practice guidelines will be followed during the setting and detonation of charges. Monitoring of vibration will be carried out, and small test charges will be used to establish safe upper limits for full charges.
Operational Noise
During operation, wind turbines can generate noise from the machinery housed within the turbine and from the movement of blades through the air. Although the noise from wind turbines increases with wind speed, the background noise usually increases at a greater rate. Modern turbines are designed to minimise noise and planning conditions are used to ensure compliance with specified noise limits.
Noise from operation of the wind turbines has been assessed following the guidance contained in ESTU-R-97 The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms as recommended in Scottish Government planning advice. As the turbines are a large distance from the nearest houses, it has not been necessary to take existing background noise levels into consideration, as the predicted noise levels at the nearest houses from operation of the turbines would be much lower than the lowest limit recommended in the guidelines.
Decommissioning Noise
During decommissioning of the Development, noise generated is likely to be of a similar nature to that during construction, although both the magnitude and duration of effects are likely to be lesser than those during construction.
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Socio-Economics, Tourism and Recreation
The effect of the Development on socio-economic conditions and tourism and recreation has been assessed.
The socio-economic assessment focused on establishing the potential employment and economic contribution of the Development on the study area – defined as the Highland local authority boundary – and Scotland. Estimates of planned expenditure were used to estimate potential employment ‘job years’ and Gross Value Added (GVA) generated by the Development. Knock-on effects on incomes and supply-chains were also taken into account. Given the uncertainties over economic effects, ‘low’ and ‘high’ cases were developed to provide a range of potential effects. The high case assumed a higher proportion of expenditure on the Development was retained within the study area and Scotland.
The socio-economic assessment suggests that the Development has the potential to support between 135 (low case) and 315 (high case) ‘job years’ of employment in the study area, and between 350 and 890 for Scotland. The suggested GVA contribution of the Development is between £23.5m (low case) and £37.7m (high case) in the study area, and between £79.3m (low case) and £100.2m (high case) in Scotland. Based on the scale of the economy in the study area, and the duration of effects, the assessment suggests that the Development will have a minor positive impact on social and economic conditions. However, it is worth noting that the economic benefit for the local area will be more pronounced than the Highland region, with the Development providing important opportunities for local employment and supply-chain benefits.
The tourism and recreation assessment considered both ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ effects of the Development on tourism and recreation – including walking/mountaineering, cycling and riding – and associated relevant land use issues. The assessment suggests that there are a limited number of tourism accommodation providers and visitor attractions that may be affected by the Development, and no major tourism attractions. No primary evidence is available that suggests that the visibility of the Development will reduce levels of
walking/mountaineering, cycling or riding. Overall, the assessment suggests that the effects of the Development on tourism and associated recreation activities will be of minor impact with both negative and positive aspects.
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Other Considerations
Other considerations include:
• Telecommunications, aviation and other infrastructure;
• Land-use;
• Shadow flicker;
• Safety of structures in extreme weather;
• Driver distraction; and
• Climate and carbon emissions.
15.1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AVIATION AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE
Due to their size and nature, wind turbines have the potential to interfere with electromagnetic signals. Infrastructure that could be affected includes civil and military aviation operations including impacts on radar, telecommunication links, and television reception.
A desk based study and extensive consultation was undertaken in order to identify and assess existing telecommunications and utilities infrastructure and aviation facilities within a specific distance from the Development.
15.1.1 Aviation and Radar
No civil aerodromes or aviation operations are likely to be affected by the Development.
15.1.2 Television and Telecommunications
Structures such as wind turbines, and others with similar characteristics, have the potential to cause interference with television and telecommunication transmissions. The BBC Wind Farm Tool shows that no dwellings are likely to be affected by the Development. However once the Development is operational, the Applicant will undertake a television survey in the area surrounding the Development to determine the extent of any television reception effects.
15.1.3 On-site Utilities
No on-site utilities have been identified. 15.2 LAND-USE
The Development encompasses a stag shooting estate, consisting of open ground, rough grazing for sheep and a number of lochans. The site rises in height from approximately 170m above ordnance survey datum (AOD) to 490m AOD. There are also a number of small watercourses on-site including tributaries to the River Brora and Loch Choire. Construction activities will accommodate existing land-use and shooting activities on-site. The Applicant will work with the landowner to ensure that they are able to continue to operate their activities during the construction phase with adequate control measures in place. These effects on land-use are considered to be not significant.
15.3 SHADOW FLICKER
Shadow Flicker is an effect that can occur when the sun moves behind a wind turbine rotor and the shadow of a moving wind turbine blade passes over a small opening (window) within a property, briefly reducing the intensity of light within the room and causing a flickering to be perceived. The likelihood and duration of shadow flicker depends upon the
positioning of the sun, turbine and window locations, turbine orientation, time of day, time of the year and weather conditions.
Guidance states that only properties within 130 degrees either side of north relative to the turbines can be affected; as shadows are not cast to the south and that at distances greater than 10 rotor diameters the likelihood of flicker is very low. No dwellings were found to be within 10 rotor diameters and 130 degrees north of the proposed turbine locations, therefore no effects are predicted.
15.4 SAFETY OF STRUCTURE IN EXTREME WEATHER
Due to the exposed nature of wind farm sites, wind turbines are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. Wind turbines are equipped with features to safely deal with extreme weather conditions such as extreme winds, lightning strike and ice throw.
15.5 DRIVER DISTRACTION
The closest public highway to the site is located approximately 8km south-west from the nearest turbine (turbine 5) and is an A classified road which passes from north to south. 15.6 CLIMATE AND CARBON EMISSIONS
The operation of wind farms offsets carbon from other forms of energy generation, but there are carbon costs associated with the construction of wind farms, especially where they are located in carbon rich soils such as peatlands. A carbon assessment has been undertaken in accordance with Scottish Government recommended methodology, the carbon calculator predicts an average carbon payback period of between 2.1 and 2.9 years depending on whether a “fossil fuel mix” or “grid mix” emissions factor is used for comparison.
The Development will have a positive benefit on emission savings. Every year of its 25 year operational life it would displace approximately 81,245 tonnes of CO2 emissions (based on UK grid supply mix).
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