The North Wales Wind Farms Connection Project
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The North Wales Wind Farms Connection Project Environmental Statement Chapter 6 - Ecology and Biodiversity Technical Appendix 6.5 Application reference: EN020014 March 2015 Regulation reference: The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 Regulation 5(2)(a) Document reference 6.19.5 North Wales Wind Farms Connection Project Environmental Statement Appendix 6.5 Ornithology Data Report 2014 March 2015 PINS Reference: EN020014 Document Reference: 6.19.5 The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 – Regulation 5(2)(a) The Planning Act 2008 The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 Regulation 5(2)(a) The North Wales Wind Farms Connection Project Environmental Statement Appendix 6.5 Ornithology Data Report 2014 Document Reference No. 6.19.5 Regulation No. Regulation 5(2)(a) Author Peak Ecology Date March 2015 Version 01 Planning Inspectorate Reference EN020014 No. ORNITHOLOGY DATA REPORT 2014 North Wales Wind Farm Connections – Overhead Line ORNITHOLOGY DATA REPORT 2014 / North Wales Wind Farm Connections – Overhead Line Issue record Issue Date Prepared by Checked by Approved by 1 December 2014 Mark Witherall Sarah Stone Peak Ecology Limited Arden House Deepdale Business Park Bakewell Derbyshire DE45 1GT 01629 812511 www.peakecology.co.uk ORNITHOLOGY DATA REPORT 2014 / North Wales Wind Farm Connections – Overhead Line Table of contents 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Project background 1 1.2 Scope of works 2 1.3 Scope of works 3 1.4 Legislative context and conservation status 3 2 METHODOLOGY 5 2.1 Consultations 5 2.2 Desk Study 5 2.3 Constraints 5 2.4 Autumn/Winter Birds Surveys 5 2.5 Breeding Bird Surveys 6 2.6 Black Grouse Survey 7 2.7 Snipe Survey 7 2.8 Nightjar Survey 8 2.9 Vantage Point Survey 8 3 RESULTS 9 3.1 Desk Study 9 3.2 Autumn/Winter Birds Survey 14 3.3 Breeding Bird Survey 15 3.4 Black Grouse 17 3.5 Snipe 17 3.6 Nightjar 17 3.7 Vantage Point Survey 17 4 References 19 5 ANNEXES 21 5.1 Annex 6.5.1: Survey Times and Weather Conditions 21 5.2 Annex 6.5.2: Desk Study, Bird Records from NBIS 26 5.3 Annex 6.5.3: Consultation Responses 42 5.4 Annex 6.5.4: Survey species lists 44 Table of Tables Table 1: Birds of conservation concern categories. 4 Table 2: Winter Bird Survey Dates 6 Table 3: Breeding bird survey dates 7 Table 4: Black Grouse Survey Dates 7 Table 5: Snipe Survey Date 8 Table 6: Nightjar Survey Dates 8 Table 7: Vantage Point Survey Effort (Hrs) 9 Table 8: Key statutory designated sites in the North Wales area with ornithological qualifying interests within 4km 10 Table 9: Desk study results for bird species of conservation concern 11 Table 10: Species of conservation concern recorded during the autumn/winter bird surveys 14 Table 11: Species of conservation concern recorded during the breeding bird survey in all survey sections. 15 Table 12: List of key target species and secondary species recorded during Vantage Point Surveys 17 ORNITHOLOGY DATA REPORT 2014 / North Wales Wind Farm Connections – Overhead Line 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project background 1.1.1 The Project proposed by SP Manweb is to develop an electrical connection for wind farms in the TAN 8 Strategic Search Area (SSA), via a collector substation, to the national transmission network at the existing St Asaph substation. 1.1.2 The Proposed Development includes the following principal elements: Construction of a 17km 132kV overhead electricity distribution connection between Clocaenog Forest and St Asaph, both in Denbighshire; A temporary construction compound at Broadleys Farm, A453, Denbighshire and temporary storage or ‘laydown areas’ along the alignment, without which the overhead line could not be constructed; Access points for pedestrians and vehicles along the length of the Proposed Development for the duration of construction, without which the overhead line could not be constructed; Mitigation planting, and; Other integral works such as site preparation and clearance, earthworks, alteration of existing services, vegetation removal/planting and minor street works. 1.1.3 The main component of the Proposed Development is a new 17 kilometre 132,000 volt (132kV) Overhead Line from the proposed North Wales wind farm Collector Substation near Clocaenog Forest and which terminates in a field to the south of Trebanog, Groesffordd Marli, which is located 1.8km from St Asaph substation. 1.1.4 The Order Limits also includes land from an un-named highway to the south of Trebanog, Groesffordd Marli to the terminal point of the 132 kV Overhead Line. The DCO includes the rights to install (and keep installed), retain, use, inspect, maintain, renew, remove and relocate an underground cable in this land. 1.1.5 The 132kV Overhead Line would comprise conductors supported by double wood poles. The wood poles are generally no larger than 470mm in diameter, and would range between 11m and 16.6m in length. Taking into account that the nominal depth of the poles is 2.5m and the steel bracings and insulators add typically 2.3m to the length, the net result is that the actual conductor height above ground (at pole positions) is about 0.2m less than the pole length referred to. The average span between poles is 79m. 1.1.6 The Order Limits for the Proposed Development contain a Limit of Deviation (LoD) within which the 132kV Overhead Line would be located. The LoD provides a degree of flexibility to ensure that any environmental constraints, technical constraints or landowner requests can be accommodated. The LoD varies between 20m in areas with good ground conditions and 40m in areas with poor ground conditions. 1 Peak Ecology ORNITHOLOGY DATA REPORT 2014 / North Wales Wind Farm Connections – Overhead Line 1.1.7 The Proposed Development does not include all elements of the North Wales Wind Farms Connection Project. Those elements not included within the Proposed Development are known as the Wider Scheme and comprises: proposed works to St Asaph substation, including the development of an underground cable taking the connection point at St Asaph to the terminal point of the Proposed Development located in a field to the south of Trebanog, Groesffordd Marli (which is south of Glascoed Road, B5381). a new 132 kV electrical substation at Clocaenog Forest to act as the collector substation for four consented wind farms. ; temporary storage areas within the existing St Asaph substation and the Collector Substation at Clocaenog Forest; and diversions of existing of lower voltage overhead line crossings. 1.1.8 The Preferred Route Corridor, a 1km wide corridor, was initially selected following early consultations on five route options. Within this preferred route corridor, the Proposed Route Alignment was defined. This was a 100m wide corridor, mostly within the Preferred Route Corridor. The Final Route Alignment has now also been defined, which falls mostly within the Proposed Route Alignment, with the exception of a small number of areas. The Final Route Alignment is the centreline of Limits of Deviation; the area within which the poles can move, which is 20m in most instances. 1.1.9 It should be noted that upon commencement of surveying the Proposed Route Alignment had not been decided upon, hence some surveys were undertaken in the area outlined as the Preferred Route Corridor up until an agreed Proposed Route Alignment had been confirmed. Surveys that were undertaken in 2013 followed the survey area outlined in the Preferred Route Corridor, and then in 2014 followed the survey area outlined in the Proposed Route Alignment. 1.1.10 This Final Route Alignment runs from the upland forest area of Clocaenog in a north-easterly direction through undulating farmland for 5km, roughly following the route of the B4501. It then veers in a north-westerly direction for 2.2km before heading north (passing over the A543) to the west of Henllan. The route heads north-west to cross the River Elwy before heading north-east towards St Asaph. 1.2 Scope of works 1.2.1 This report has been prepared by Peak Ecology Ltd on behalf of Gillespies. It provides details of a series of ornithological surveys undertaken throughout the survey area, as described above (Annex 6.5.1- Figure 1). 1.2.2 Surveys were undertaken during the autumn and winter of 2012-2013 and the summer of 2013. 1.2.3 This report is presented with four Appendices and a separate document ‘Annex 6.5.1’ which contains all the site maps and ornithological maps referenced throughout. 2 Peak Ecology ORNITHOLOGY DATA REPORT 2014 / North Wales Wind Farm Connections – Overhead Line 1.3 Scope of works Consultations: Natural Resources Wales (NRW) were consulted with reference to the scope of ornithological surveys required. Desk Study: A desk study was undertaken consulting COFNOD the local biological reference centre and other consultees. Autumn/Winter Birds Surveys: A series of drive round winter bird surveys were undertaken during October 2012 – March 2013 (inclusive). Breeding Bird Survey: A three – visit breeding bird survey was undertaken with visits once a month during April – June 2012 (inclusive). Black Grouse Survey: A two visit black grouse survey was undertaken in March and May 2013. Snipe Survey: A single evening visits for snipe was undertaken during June 2013. Nightjar Survey: Two dusk survey visits were undertaken in June and July 2013. Vantage Point Surveys: A series of vantage point surveys was undertaken over the period November 2012 – September 2013. 1.4 Legislative context and conservation status 1.4.1 The European Union meets its obligations to the protection of bird species under the Bern (79/409/EEC) and Bonn conventions and under the EU Directive 2009/147/EC ‘The Birds Directive’ (the codified version of Council Directive 79/409/EEC, as amended).