Alwen Forest Wind Farm Grid Connection
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Alwen Forest Wind Farm Grid Connection Scoping Report Ffon 19 November 2019 1204855 Innogy Renewables UK Ltd Document history Author Janet Sanders, Project Manager 27.09.19 Checked Ffion Edwards, Senior Project 27.09.19 Manager Approved John Woodruff, Technical 30.09.19 Director Client Details Contact Martin Cole Client Name Innogy Renewables UK Ltd Address Baglan Bay Innovation Centre, Central Avenue, Baglan Energy Park, Port Talbot SA12 7AX Issue Date Revision Details A 30.08.19 First revision of scoping report B 30.09.19 First Draft to innogy C 17.10.19 Second revision to innogy D 24.10.19 Submission to NRW and WW E 19.11.19 Final submission to PINS NATURAL POWER CONSULTANTS LIMITED, THE NATURAL POWER CONSULTANTS LIMITED, NATURAL POWER SARL, NATURAL POWER CONSULTANTS (IRELAND) LIMITED, NATURAL POWER LLC, NATURAL POWER S.A, NATURAL POWER SERVICES LIMITED AND NATURAL POWER OPERATIONS LIMITED (collectively referred to as “NATURAL POWER”) accept no responsibility or liability for any use which is made of this document other than by the Client for the purpose for which it was originally commissioned and prepared. The Client shall treat all information in the document as confidential. No representation is made regarding the completeness, methodology or current status of any material referred to in this document. All facts and figures are correct at time of print. All rights reserved. VENTOS® is a registered trademark of NATURAL POWER. Melogale™, WindCentre™, ControlCentre™, ForeSite™, vuWind™, WindManager™ and OceanPod™ are trademarks of NATURAL POWER. Copyright © 2019 NATURAL POWER. For full details on our ISO and other certifications, please visit: naturalpower.com/company Local Office: Registered Office: Harbour House The Natural Power Consultants Limited Y Lanfa The Green House Aberystwyth Forrest Estate, Dalry SY23 1AS Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire WALES DG7 3XS UK Tel: +44 (0) 1970 636 869 Reg No: SC177881 VAT No: GB 243 6926 48 Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 2. Purpose of the Scoping Report ......................................................... 1 3. The Applicant .................................................................................... 2 4. The Proposed Alwen Forest Grid Connection ................................... 3 4.1. Wind Farm and Grid Connection ............................................. 3 4.2. Grid Connection Route Selection ............................................. 4 4.3. Preferred Grid Connection Routes ........................................... 6 4.4. Grid Connection Options .......................................................... 6 4.5. Operational Period ................................................................. 10 4.6. Decommissioning ................................................................... 11 5. Approach to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) ............. 11 5.1. EIA Steps ............................................................................... 11 5.2. What the EIA will Assess ....................................................... 12 5.3. Gathering Baseline Information.............................................. 12 5.4. Prediction and Evaluation of Impacts and Effects .................. 12 5.5. Cumulative Effects ................................................................. 13 5.6. Mitigation and Monitoring of Environmental Effects ............... 13 6. Legal and Policy Context ................................................................ 14 7. Environmental Statement ................................................................ 15 8. Embedded Mitigation and Further Layout Iterations ....................... 16 9.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 17 9.2. Methodology........................................................................... 17 9.3. Survey Work........................................................................... 18 9.4. Results ................................................................................... 19 9.5. Discussion .............................................................................. 21 9.6. Conclusions............................................................................ 22 10.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 22 10.2. Methodology........................................................................... 22 10.3. Survey Work........................................................................... 24 10.4. Results ................................................................................... 25 10.5. Discussion .............................................................................. 26 10.6. Conclusions............................................................................ 27 11. Landscape and Visual ..................................................................... 27 11.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 27 11.2. Planning Policy....................................................................... 28 11.3. Grid Connection Route Corridors ........................................... 29 11.4. Methodology........................................................................... 29 11.5. Cumulative Assessment......................................................... 35 12. Hydrology, Geology and Hydrogeology .......................................... 35 12.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 35 12.2. Assessment Methodology ...................................................... 36 12.3. Desk Based Studies ............................................................... 40 12.4. Impact Assessment ................................................................ 44 13. Cultural Heritage ............................................................................. 45 Alwen Forest Wind Farm Grid Connection 13.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 45 13.2. Environmental Baseline and Potential Sources of Impact ..... 45 13.3. Method of Assessment........................................................... 46 14. Traffic and Transport ....................................................................... 52 14.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 52 14.2. Methodology........................................................................... 52 15. Noise ............................................................................................... 54 15.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 54 15.2. Legislation and Guidance ...................................................... 54 15.3. Noise Sensitive Receptors ..................................................... 55 15.4. Construction Noise Effects ..................................................... 55 15.5. Operational Noise Effects ...................................................... 56 16. Forestry ........................................................................................... 57 16.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 57 16.2. Consultation ........................................................................... 58 16.3. Legislation and Guidance ...................................................... 58 16.4. Methodology........................................................................... 58 17. Socio-Economics ............................................................................ 59 17.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 59 17.2. Methodology........................................................................... 60 17.3. Impact Assessment ................................................................ 60 18. Health and Public Safety ................................................................. 60 18.1. Lightning................................................................................. 60 18.2. Health & Safety ...................................................................... 61 18.3. Impact Assessment ................................................................ 61 19. Aviation and Existing Infrastructure ................................................. 61 19.1. Introduction ............................................................................ 61 19.2. Other Existing Infrastructure .................................................. 62 19.3. Impact Assessment ................................................................ 63 20. Summary, Residual and Synergistic Effects and Mitigation ............ 63 21. ES Accompanying documentation .................................................. 63 22. Responding to the Scoping Report ................................................. 64 Appendix A: Grid Matrix ........................................................................... 65 Figures ..................................................................................................... 66 Alwen Forest Wind Farm Grid Connection 1. Introduction This scoping report has been prepared by Natural Power Consultants Limited (Natural Power) on behalf of Innogy Renewables UK (innogy). This report is in anticipation of an application for a Development of National Significance (DNS)