COUNCIL PLANNING, PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND LICENSING COMMITTEE

DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES 25 OCTOBER 2013

PROPOSED WINDFARM – CORLIC HILL, CONSULTATION FROM INVERCLYDE COUNCIL

1. SUMMARY

This proposal is being reported to Members as it relates to a consultation by a neighbouring planning authority for a major development application (13/0199/IC) accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that Members object to the planning application.

3. DETAIL

The proposal is for the erection of a wind farm of 10 wind turbines (max hub height 65m and max blade tip height 110m) with associated works, including construction of access tracks and ancillary development (including crane hardstandings, cabling, transformers, culverts), formation of borrow pit, erection of sub-station and control building, formation of car park and temporary construction compounds. The application site is located on land east of Corlic Hill, Greenock within Inverclyde, and Inverclyde Council is the determining Planning Authority. It is understood that the application has so far attracted 650 representations with 10 objections from addresses in Argyll and Bute.

The key area of consideration for Argyll & Bute Council with respect to this proposal is landscape & visual impact. The Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) submitted with the application does not show any coverage in the Loch Long or Bute & South Cowal Areas of Panoramic Quality within a 15km radius. It does however, illustrate that 7 - 10 turbine blade tips would be ‘potentially’ visible in a broad arc from Rothesay to Cardross on the eastern and northern sides of the Clyde estuary, although visibility of hubs would be greatest from the area.

A viewpoint from Helensburgh (Viewpoint 4) has been assessed as part of the Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment. This viewpoint is located at Helensburgh Monument on the A814 some 9km from the closest turbine. This viewpoint demonstrates that there will be a distant view towards the wind farm from across the although Cardross will be somewhat closer. Bearing in mind Cardross is the largest village in Argyll and Bute, with a similar population to Lochgilphead, it has been disappointing that the applicant has not provided photomontages from public viewpoints in the settlement, such as the Cardross – Helensburgh railway platform, Cardross Golf Club or the Core Path network which runs along the banks of the Clyde in order to provide a clearer indication of likely visual impact from an area with many potential receptors. There is also likely to be visibility of the turbines from many streets that are located towards the northern (higher topography) parts of both Helensburgh and Cardross. The developer considered that the majority of views from public vantage points in Cardross would be interrupted by housing and vegetation and that the photomontages from Helensburgh and were therefore adequate to provide a representation of impact from this direction.

The turbines would be seen as a small but prominent cluster breaching the skyline on hills above and in the context of, the settled Firth of Clyde valley. They would also be readily visible in a sequential manner when entering or exiting Argyll and Bute along the A816 Dumbarton – Rhu road, which is surrounded by Greenbelt with open views over the Clyde, as well as from the Dumbarton to Craigendoran railway line which runs close to the coast. The core path network along the northern banks of the Clyde and public recreational areas including Cardross station, Helensburgh Pier to Kidston Park and Ardmore Point are also likely to experience prominent views of between 7 – 10 turbines.

The Environmental Statement states that the proposed Inverclyde wind farm would add to the development on the moorland skyline above Greenock, although from most locations this would be seen above an urban context. Officers generally accept this point that the backdrop of Inverclyde provides a partially industrialised context for the windfarm, and the distances from settlements and sensitive receptors in Bute and Cowal and Rosneath Peninsula mean that they would be largely unaffected by the proposal.

Notwithstanding this, the size of the turbines and fact they would protrude above the skyline would mean users of the busy Rhu to Dumbarton river corridor (including A816, recreational routes, Helensburgh Promenade and Helensburgh to railway line) would experience sequential and at times prolonged views of the turbines as they move through the landscape. This would be especially the case traveling to and from, and in and around, Cardross and in the areas of Greenbelt between Dumbarton and Helensburgh, where views across the Clyde are open and compelling. Whilst there are buildings and pylons in Inverclyde that are currently visible from the Rhu to Dumbarton corridor, the elevation, height and movement of the turbines would render them incongruous in the views currently available drawing the eye and making them unduly prominent in their landscape setting.

4. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the viewpoints submitted do not highlight significant effects on receptors in Bute and Cowal or the Rosneath Peninsula given the separation distances involved and avoidance of sensitive landscapes. Notwithstanding this, the impacts on the A816, train line, recreational locations and routes along the busy Rhu to Dumbarton riverside corridor are likely to be prolonged as users move through the area and would result in an unacceptable visual impact. This is partially evident from the photomontage from Viewpoint 4 and can be expected to be exacerbated in and around Cardross and the greenbelt areas between Dumbarton and Helensburgh which have uninterrupted views across the Clyde. With the anticipated visual influence the scale of the development proposed is likely to have on these areas it is recommended that an objection be raised and that Inverclyde Council be notified accordingly.

5. IMPLICATIONS

Policy - None

Financial – None

Legal – None

HR - None

Equalities -None

Risk - None

Customer Service - None

Executive Director of Development & Infrastructure 10th October 2013

For further information contact: Richard Kerr Tel: 01546 604845