Whinash Env Statement
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Whinash Wind Farm Environmental Statement Review and Strategic Landscape and Visual Assessment Reference 46503/02/01/Rev2 Abridged Capita PO Box 14 Barrow Town Hall Barrow-in-Furness LA14 2LD November 2003 Whinash Wind Farm Environmental Review and Strategic Landscape and Visual Assessment Whinash Wind Farm Environmental Statement Review and Strategic Landscape and Visual Assessment Rev2 Abridged CONTENTS Section 1. INTRODUCTION 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT 3. PLANNING CONTEXT 4. ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT REVIEW 4.1 Site Selection and Project Design (Volume 1, Chapter 2) 4.2 Project Description 4.3 Landscape and Visual Assessment (except 5.2 and 5.7) 4.4 Landscape and Visual Assessment Report (Vol 2 Chapter 5) 4.5 Figures 4.6 Non Technical Summary (NTS) 5. EXISTING LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AND SENSITIVITY 5.1 Regional Context 5.2 County Context 5.3 Site and Immediate Setting 5.4 Sensitivity 5.5 Impacts 6. VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 6.1 Visual Receptors 6.2 Degree/magnitude of visual impact 6.3 Significant Visual Impacts 7. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 7.1 Proximity to Other Wind Energy Developments 8. CONCLUSIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES A Visual Impact Table for Key Strategic Receptors Prepared by Capita, November 2003 Reference 46503/02/01/Rev2 Abridged Whinash Wind Farm Environmental Review and Strategic Landscape and Visual Assessment 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report has been prepared on behalf of Cumbria County Council’s Environment Unit. It relates to a DTI application described as Whinash Wind Farm which Cumbria County Council have been invited to comment on as Statutory Consultees. 1.2 This report presents a review of the Environmental Statement submitted in support of the DTI application (see Section 4) and our own assessment of the landscape and visual impact of the proposals based on information that the County Council holds on the landscape character and quality of the Whinash area (see Sections 5, 6 & 7). 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT 2.1 The application seeks consent for the installation of 27 wind turbine generators of a maximum base to blade tip height of 115m, the construction of access tracks, two permanent meteorological masts, all electrical cabling and other equipment including an electrical sub-station, switch-room and transformer. The environmental statement is based on a turbine size of 2.5MW (although output may be up to 3MW depending on the specific turbine type selected). The total minimum installed capacity will be 67.5MW. 2.2 The site is located along a ridge dividing the valleys of Bretherdale and Borrowdale for a distance of approximately 6km between the A6 and M6. The site extends over 763 ha, encompassing Bretherdale Bank, Bretherdale Common and Roundthwaite Common and includes the peaks of Crookdale Crag (457m AOD), Whinash (471m AOD) and Belt Howe (408m AOD). Access would be from the A6 on the Western boundary of the site, which also marks the boundary of the Lake District National Park. The Eastern edge of the site lies approximately 2km west - South West of Tebay. 2.3 The majority of the site is common land consisting of unimproved acid grassland grazed by sheep and fell ponies, with extensive areas of peat forming blanket bogs. 2.4 Temporary facilities required during construction will include a storage compound, site offices, mess facilities etc. The construction phase would last approximately 9-12 months after which temporary facilities will be removed and affected areas of the site restored. 2.5 The design life of the wind energy development is 25 years after which the site will be decommissioned, the turbines and upper part of the foundations removed and site restored. 3.0 PLANNING CONTEXT 3.1 A detailed review of the implications of the proposed scheme with regard to national and local planning policies has been presented in a separate document prepared by Cumbria County Council. 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT REVIEW 4.0.1 The Environmental Statement comprises four volumes. Volume 1 Environmental Statement, Volume 2 Appendices, Volume 3 Figures, and Volume 4 Non-Technical Summary. This section of the assessment comments on the adequacy of the Environmental Statement (ES) in respect to landscape and visual issues. 4.1 Site Selection and Project Design (Volume 1, Chapter 2) 4.1.1 The summary of the site selection process does not provide a direct comparison of the two alternative sites considered, with the Whinash site. A general description of the reasons for dismissing these sites is given, however, no justification for the Whinash site is provided in similar terms. A quantified comparison of the three site options with a map locating the alternative sites and how they relate to each other would allow direct comparison. Prepared by Capita, November 2003 Rev2 Abridged 1 Whinash Wind Farm Environmental Review and Strategic Landscape and Visual Assessment 4.1.2 The site selection process used in the ES is based on the Areas of Search for onshore wind farms (3MW plus) presented in Figure 10 of the Deposit Structure Plan (Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan 2003, p42). This figure is taken from Cumbria County Council/Lake District National Park Authority Technical Paper No.6: ‘Planning for Renewable Energy Development in Cumbria’ AXIS, 2003, which, after further refinement, identifies the Whinash site (SL4) as suitable for very small schemes of up to three turbines only, subject to detailed visual assessment. In Technical Report No.6, the alternative sites considered by the ES North of the Lune Valley (E6) and South of the Lune Valley (E7) are dismissed due to the high quality of the landscape. The Environmental Statement does not acknowledge the findings of Technical Report No.6. 4.1.3 The Environmental Statement justifies the Whinash scheme on the basis that one large wind farm in the least sensitive area is more favourable than a number of smaller wind farms distributed over each of the three areas of search which may be inter-visible and therefore create adverse cumulative impact. 4.1.4 The Project Design section of the ES does not provide illustrations of alternative layouts considered within the site, with different numbers and sizes of turbines. 4.1.5 The close proximity of the electricity distribution system and the ability for the system to accommodate the proposed generation capacity without the need for additional overhead lines are important considerations. In addition the easy access afforded by the A6 to the site and the absence of residential areas along the route to Junction 39 of the M6 are important positive aspects of the proposed site lo cation. 4.2 Project Description (Volume 1, Chapter 4) 4.2.1 In the General Description (Section 4.1) landscape issues are not quoted as one of the design considerations during the planning of the layout of site tracks. 4.2.3 In Section 4.4 of the ES, it is not clear from the description of the ‘cut’ road construction or from Figure 9 how any excess clay and gravel which is stored separately from the peat will be treated. It is understood that the peat would be used to form battered verges and the upper peat/soil horizon and stripped vegetation would be placed over the surface to aid re-vegetation. The clay or gravel would be visually distinct and therefore requires mitigation. 4.2.4 It is noted that the Environmental Statement is based on the installation of 2.5MW turbines although turbines up to 3MW are being considered for the site. The ES states that the assessment considers the potential effects arising from the turbine type that would give rise to maximum effects. The turbines to be selected fo r the project are up to 70m high to the hub or nacelle with blades or rotors up to 45m long giving a total maximum height of 115m to blade tip. The size of the wind turbines is a major aspect when considering the landscape and visual impacts of the proposed scheme; although the ES implies that smaller turbines may be feasible no alternative dimensions are given. 4.2.5 It is noted that the location of an additional temporary storage area measuring 20 x 30m may be required during construction, in addition to that at the site offices, the location of which has not been identified. This may have temporary landscape impacts, which have not been addressed by the ES. 4.2.6 During operation, it is noted that the crane hard standings would be retained but the hard standing areas would be reduced and re-contoured and partially reinstated. The hub and blade support pads are to be regarded and covered with peat at the end of construction rather than removed. 4.2.7 The site storage compound is to be removed and reinstated post construction. In addition to the geogrid proposed, this area would benefit from the use of a geotextile layer under the base to separate the imported material from the underlying peat. This would aid removal of the imported material post construction by protecting the underlying peat thus aiding reinstatement. Similarly during construction, Prepared by Capita, November 2003 Rev2 Abridged 2 Whinash Wind Farm Environmental Review and Strategic Landscape and Visual Assessment where peat and topsoil is stored on existing vegetation/peat a layer of geotextile would protect the underlying vegetation and aid soil removal after construction. 4.2.8 At decommissioning, it is noted that the on-site tracks and underground cabling will probably stay in place after decommissioning – subject to agreement with the local authorities. The below ground flat bases to the turbine foundations will also remain, although the ES states that no part will be visible. 4.3 Landscape and Visual Assessment (Volume 1 Chapter 5, except 5.2 and 5.7) Landscape Character (5.3) 4.3.1 The ES includes an extensive discussion of landscape character referring to the Countryside Agency’s Landscape Character Areas and Cumbria County Council Landscape Types.