Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering Technical Appendix A2.1: Scoping Report
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Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering Technical Appendix A2.1: Scoping Report Volume 3 – Technical Appendices July 2019 www.scottishpowerrenewables.com Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering Scoping Request August 2017 www.scottishpowerrenewables.com Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering August, 2017 Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering August, 2017 Scoping Request Scoping Request [This page intentionally left blank] Table of contents Executive Summary 4 1 Introduction 9 2 Environmental Impact Assessment 12 3 The Proposed Development 18 4 Policy and Legislative Context 22 5 Landscape and Visual Amenity 27 6 Ecology 47 7 Ornithology 56 8 Noise 68 9 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 73 10 Access, Traffic and Transport 80 11 Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Geology, Soils and Peat 84 12 Tourism, Recreation and Socio-Economics 92 13 Other Issues 97 14 Scoping Consultation 104 Appendix A – List of Consultees 105 Appendix B – Figures 106 ScottishPower Renewables Page 2 ScottishPower Renewables Page 3 Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering August, 2017 Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering August, 2017 Scoping Request Scoping Request 7. Following preliminary consultation with key consultees, desk based assessments, site visits and field surveys and in line with The Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 (‘the EIA Regulations’), this Scoping Rigged Hill Windfarm Request aims to focus the assessment solely on those elements likely to provide a significant effect and identify those topics / factors which can be scoped out as the effects are not likely to be significant. Table A below provides a summary of effects that are deemed to be not significant and therefore will not be considered further within the Environmental Statement for the repowering of Rigged Hill Windfarm. The evidence, on which these decisions have been based, is described within each Repowering technical section of this Scoping Request. Scoping Request Table A. Technical Topics which can be scoped out as Not Significant Technical Area Elements to be Scoped Out of the EIA Landscape and • All Landscape Character Areas beyond 15 km of the site; Visual Amenity • Nine Landscape Character Areas within 15 km of the site Executive Summary • The Giants Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site; • Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; Introduction and Site Description • Areas of High Scenic Value within Derry / Londonderry area; • Registered Gardens and Supplementary Sites beyond 20km; 1. The existing operational Rigged Hill Windfarm was developed and constructed by RES and B9 Energy Services in 1994, and then acquired by ScottishPower Renewables, who now own and operate the site. Rigged Hill Windfarm is located • Seven Registered Gardens and Supplementary Sites within 20km; approximately 6.2 kilometres (km) south-east of Limavady in Derry / Londonderry and consists of ten Nordtank 500 kilowatt • Settlements beyond 20 km; (kW) turbines, which can produce up to five megawatts of clean renewable energy. To date, Rigged Hill Windfarm has made • Five Settlements within 20 km; an important contribution to Northern Ireland’s Renewable Energy targets and low carbon objectives, and the Applicant is • Rail and road routes beyond 10 km; and seeking to secure and build on this contribution by proposing to ‘re-power’ the Operational Rigged Hill Windfarm. • Regional and national cycle routes and links beyond 15 km. Ecology • Upland acid grassland and improved grassland habitats; Windfarm Repowering • Any rare or protected flora; 2. The repowering of a windfarm involves the removal of existing wind turbines from a site and replacing them with new and • Badgers and other terrestrial mammals within the Site; more efficient turbines. This process normally results in an increased overall site generating capacity and output as well as • Common lizards and smooth newts; generally reducing the total number of turbines within the site. • Marsh fritillary butterflies or any other protected / priority invertebrates; and • Indirect effects on fisheries and aquatic fauna. 3. Repowering a windfarm supports an ongoing use of the Site by a renewables asset which is vital to Northern Ireland Ornithology • Collision risk modelling for golden plover; and maintaining and building upon its renewable energy and climate change targets, as outlined in the Strategic Framework for • Effects on curlew populations. Northern Ireland1. Repowering also presents an opportunity to sustain and create additional jobs and to encourage continued Noise • Low Frequency Noise; and investment in the renewable energy industry in Northern Ireland. The repowering of a windfarm differs from that of developing • Amplitude Modulation. a greenfield site as the area has previously been developed, has demonstrated its suitability for use as a windfarm site, and will continue to be used for the same activity. As a result, the consenting and EIA process can draw on any information already available for the site to assess effects. Archaeology and • Indirect effects on heritage assets not within the Zone of Theoretical Visibility. Cultural Heritage 4. The Operational Rigged Hill Windfarm is consented in perpetuity, and the repowering of the site with more efficient machines Access, Transport • Operational traffic assessment. with greater capacity, will maximise the benefits of re-using an existing site whilst minimising new environmental effects. and Traffic Operating for a longer period will also enable the Applicant to continue to drive down the overall cost of energy benefitting the Hydrology, • Private water supplies; and Northern Irish consumer and provide opportunities to incorporate emerging technologies such as battery storage. Hydrogeology, • Receptors beyond 10 km of the Site. Geology, Soils and 5. The Applicant and independent technical consultants have been involved in developing, constructing and operating Peat repowered windfarms across the United Kingdom and have a good understanding of the key planning and environmental Tourism, Recreation Direct effects on tourism and recreation receptors (with the exception of the Ulster Way and sensitivities associated with this type of development. • and Socio- Cam Forest). Purpose of the Scoping Request Economics 6. The aim of the scoping process is to identify key environmental issues at an early stage, to help determine which elements of Other Issues • Turbine reflectivity; the proposal are likely to cause significant environmental effects and to identify elements that can be ‘scoped out’ of the • The vulnerability and resilience of the development to climate change effects; and assessment. Comments are invited from the consultees listed in Section 14 of this Scoping Request as well as any other • Waste. interested parties, as to the scope of the Environmental Statement and the methodologies proposed for use in the technical assessments. 8. It is anticipated that, as further information becomes available following the completion of the survey work and refinement of the design, there may be potential to scope out additional elements/topics prior to the submission of the Environmental 1 Department for the Economy (2010) Strategic Framework for Northern Ireland. Available online at: https://www.economy- Statement (see Table B). This would only occur following direct consultation and agreement with the relevant consultees. ni.gov.uk/publications/energy-strategic-framework-northern-ireland [Accessed on 27/06/2017 ScottishPower Renewables Page 4 ScottishPower Renewables Page 5 Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering August, 2017 Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering August, 2017 Scoping Request Scoping Request Table B. Technical Topics with the potential to be scoped out as Not Significant following further consultations and/ Technical Area Elements with the potential to be Scoped Out of the EIA following further consultation and/ or layout refinement or layout refinement Technical Area Elements with the potential to be Scoped Out of the EIA following further consultation and/ The scope of any aviation impact assessment, if required, will be based on the outcome of or layout refinement consultation discussions with the relevant aviation consultees. Landscape and • It may be possible scope out further receptors. This will be based on final layout design and Visual Amenity further assessment. Ecology • No further elements to be scoped out. Terminology Ornithology • Subject to further assessment it may be possible to scope out additional elements, this will be Table C summarises the key terms (unless otherwise redefined in a Technical Section) used throughout this Scoping based on layout refinement and further assessment. This includes: Request. • Red grouse; • Snipe; Table C: Key Terms and Definitions • Curlew; and Term Definition • Goose / Swan flights. The Site Refers to all land that falls within the red line boundary identified in Figure 1.1 of Appendix B. Noise • Detailed Construction Noise Assessment. The Site Boundary Refers to the red line boundary as identified within Figure 2.1 of Appendix B. The location of the battery storage facility will be sensitively sited taking into account any • Operational Refers to the existing Rigged Hill windfarm at the Site which has been operational since 1994. identified separation distances to ensure no significant effects. It is therefore anticipated that Rigged Hill the resulting noise levels will be sufficiently low as to allow the facility to be scoped out. Windfarm Archaeology and • Known archaeology will be avoided during site design, where