Volume 1: Text

Longpark Wind Farm ADDENDUM TO ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT 12 JANUARY 2006 VOLUME 1: TEXT W I N D P R O S P E C T D E V E L O P M E N T S L T D 1 0 A C A S T L E S T R E E T E D I N B U R G H E H 2 3 A T CONTENTS Contents i 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Scope and summary of changes to wind farm layout 1 2 Landscape and visual effects 3 2.1 Background 3 2.2 Revised Zone of Visual Influence 3 2.3 Revised photomontages 4 2.4 Summary of residual impact and significance for revised layout 10 3 Visual effects from residential properties 11 3.1 Background 11 3.2 Guidance 11 3.3 Property identification 12 3.4 Property categorisation 12 3.5 Visual assessment methodology 13 3.6 Visual assessment 16 3.7 Summary of residual impact and significance 23 4 Cumulative landscape and visual effects 24 4.1 Introduction 24 4.2 Assessment 25 4.3 Summary of cumulative effects 38 5 Ecology 40 5.1 Introduction 40 5.2 Effects of the updated layout on breeding birds 40 5.3 Effects of the updated layout on ecological habitats 42 5.4 Effects of the updated layout on other ecological features 44 6 Cultural Heritage 45 6.1 Background 45 6.2 Methods 45 6.3 Variation from original effects 46 6.4 Mitigation 47 6.5 Summary 47 7 Noise 48 7.1 Introduction 48 7.2 Methodology 48 7.3 Assessment 49 7.4 Conclusions 51 i 8 Access and Traffic 52 7.1 Introduction 52 7.2 Effects 52 7.3 Significance of effects 53 7.4 Mitigation 54 7.5 Conclusions 55 9 Electricity production 56 9.1 Introduction 56 9.2 Electricity production 56 9.3 Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 57 10 Private water supplies 59 10.1 Introduction 59 10.2 Site description and baseline conditions 59 10.3 Private water supplies 60 10.4 Potential impacts and mitigation measures 62 10.5 Assessment of potential effects 64 10.6 Summary 66 11 Shadow flicker 67 11.1 Policy context 67 11.2 Assessment 67 12 Tourism and recreation 68 12.1 Introduction 68 12.2 Baseline 68 12.3 Recent surveys 71 12.4 Assessment of effects 71 12.5 Conclusions 72 APPENDIX 74 ii 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND 1.1.1 Wind Prospect Developments Ltd (Wind Prospect) submitted an application for planning permission to Scottish Borders Council (Application Ref. 04/00317/FUL) in February 2004 to erect eighteen wind turbines and ancillary structures around Longpark Plantation (approximately 3.5km southeast of Stow and 5km north of Galashiels) for the purpose of generating electricity from wind energy. 1.1.2 An Environmental Statement in four volumes accompanied the planning application. 1.1.3 Prior to determination of the planning application by Scottish Borders Council, further discussions with Scottish Natural Heritage and the Council resulted in Wind Prospect altering the proposed layout of the development and increasing the number of turbines to nineteen, as detailed in the two volumes of “Longpark Wind Farm - Additional information submitted to Scottish Borders Council to accompany Planning Application Ref. 04/00317/FUL” submitted to Scottish Borders Council on 22 October 2004. 1.1.4 The planning application was determined on 31st August 2005 and permission was refused. Wind Prospect are in the process of appealing this decision to the Scottish Ministers under Section 47 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. 1.1.5 In light of the amendments to the planning application prior to its determination by Scottish Borders Council, Volumes 1 and 2 of this document act to update the original Environmental Statement in accordance with a request made by the Scottish Executive in their letter dated 6th December 2004 pursuant to Regulation 19 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999. 1.2 SCOPE AND SUMMARY OF CHANGES TO WIND FARM LAYOUT 1.2.1 Volumes 1 and 2 of “Longpark Wind Farm - Additional information submitted to Scottish Borders Council to accompany Planning Application Ref. 04/00317/FUL” dated 22 October 2004 explain the rationale for the changes to the original layout. - 1 - 1.2.2 Layout Version 5 (hereafter referred to as the “revised layout”) allowed for: • Re-numbering of turbines (numbers quoted below relate to those shown in the revised the layout, Figure 1.2, Volume 2) • An additional turbine (turbine 19) • Significant relocation – turbines 17, 18 • Minor relocation to turbines 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 • Turbines in same location – turbines 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 12 • Increase in height by ten metres of turbines 5, 6, 9,13 1.2.3 In the case of the ten turbines that had minor relocations, essentially the difference in the distances was minor and the variations in ground levels were also relatively minor. As outlined above the key changes included the addition of one turbine, the significant relocation of 2 turbines and an increase in height of four turbines. 1.2.4 The original layout given in the Environmental Statement is shown in Figures 1.1 and 1.3 of this document. The revised layout is shown in Figures 1.2 and 1.4. 1.2.5 The following sections re-assess the environmental impacts of the revised layout and should be read as addenda to the original Environmental Statement. It was considered that the following assessments would benefit from revision: • Landscape and Visual effects • Visual effects from residential properties • Cumulative Landscape and Visual effects • Ecology • Cultural Heritage • Noise • Access and Traffic • Electricity Production and that, in light of representations by third parties, it would be beneficial to provide further information on the potential impacts concerning: • Private water supplies • Shadow flicker • Tourism and Recreation - 2 - 2 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL EFFECTS 2.1 BACKGROUND 2.1.1 RSK ENSR were commissioned by Wind Prospect to prepare a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) for the proposed Longpark Wind Farm. The results of this assessment were included within the original Environmental Statement which accompanied the planning application. 2.1.2 In light of changes to the wind farm layout, this chapter serves an addendum to the original LVIA. 2.2 REVISED ZONE OF VISUAL INFLUENCE (ZVI) 30km radius ZVI 2.2.1 Following production of a new ZVI (Figure 2.1) for the revised layout, it indicates that the extent of visibility of up to 19 turbines is more extensive particularly to the North-east, slightly more extensive to the East, East-south-east, South-east and South-south-east. The extent of visibility to the South-west, West and North-west is essentially unchanged. 5km radius ZVI 2.2.2 Following production of a new ZVI (Figure 2.2) for the revised layout, it indicates the extent of visibility of up to 19 turbines. The additional areas outlined below include areas that were previously assessed to have the potential to see the blade tips of between 10-13 turbines and, with regard to the revised layout, are now assessed to have the potential to see the blade tips of between 15-19 turbines. The additional areas that now lie within the 15-19 turbine (blade tip) visibility include: • Marginally more extensive to the north-east at a distance of 1.5km from the centre of the wind farm; approximate area 0.4 sq. km • Slightly more extensive to the north-east between a distance of 3km - 4.5km from the centre of the wind farm, approximate area 2.25 sq. km • Slightly more extensive to the east between a distance of 3.5km – 5km from the centre of the wind farm, approximate area 2.5 sq. km - 3 - • Marginally more extensive to the east-south-east at a distance of 1.75km from the centre of the wind farm, approximate area 0.3sq. km • The extent of visibility to the south-east, south, south-west, west and North-west is essentially unchanged 2.2.3 Within the 5km radius, the additional areas as outlined above are essentially across areas of open land and land given over to conifer plantations. The areas to the north-east and east include the properties at Allanshaws and Wooplaw. 2.2.4 Overall the extent of visible area of between 10-14 turbines is slightly reduced from all directions and the overall % of extent of visibility of the smaller overall number of turbines between (1-4 and 5-9) generally increases in all directions. 2.3 REVISED PHOTOMONTAGES 2.3.1 Photomontages have been produced to reflect the changes to the turbine layout. Figures 2.3 to 2.21 show the appearance of the revised layout from each of the nineteen viewpoints portrayed in the original ES. 2.3.2 Based on the revised ZVIs, together with visualisations on the photomontages, Table 2.1 presents a summary of the changes between the original wind farm layout and the revised layout. - 4 - Table 2.1 Comparisons table (original assessment shown in shaded boxes; assessment of revised layout shown in unshaded boxes) Potential Potential Distance to Distance Summary of changes Viewpoint Direction no. of Magnitude Significance no. of Magnitude of Significance Location Nearest to Nearest (comparing revised layout to number of View visible of Change of Effect visible Change of Effect Turbine Turbine original layout) tips/hubs tips/hubs 1 Entrance to 125m SE 18 Hubs Very Large Major Adverse 125m 19 Hubs More ordered, balanced and Very Large Major Adverse Allanshaws regular turbine layout across Farm 18 Tips 19 Tips whole development, particularly to centre.

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