Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Appendix 6.6: Sequential Visual Effects Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Appendix 6.6: Sequential Visual Effects Route Description Other Existing Viewpoints Theoretical Visibility of the Commentary Developments on/ near Rooley Moor turbines Theoretically Visible route (approx.) M66/ A56 Motorway/ dual Scout Moor; Crook None Length between edge of Bury Much of the route passes through cutting carriageway running Hill; Hyndburn; and M62 junction (approx or through areas of woodland within the north-south between the Hameldon Hill 4.7km) highway estate. As such, there would be M65 and the M62. considerable screening of views. Where visible, the proposed turbines would always be viewed in the context of the existing Scout Moor turbines and would typically appear integrated with these turbines, and would not be distinguishable as a separate feature. Visual effects would not be significant. A627 (M) Motorway running north- Scout Moor; Crook 6 & 20 Majority of length (approx Views would be experienced in the south between Rochdale Hill; Reaps Moss; 5.7km) context of the existing Scout Moor and Oldham. Todmorden Moor turbines. The proposed development would appear as a horizontal extension to this existing wind farm. The motorway corridor and urban areas of Rochdale would be more prominent features in the foreground and middle-ground and only limited change to the background of the transient views available from fast-moving vehicles would be available. Visual effects would not be significant due to these factors and the scheme appearing as an extension of the existing Scout Moor development. CPL PAGE 1 Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Route Description Other Existing Viewpoints Theoretical Visibility of the Commentary Developments on/ near Rooley Moor turbines Theoretically Visible route (approx.) M62 Major east-west Scout Moor; Crook None Approx. 15.3km length Views would be experienced in the motorway, which runs Hill; Reaps Moss between J20 and context of the existing Scout Moor through the northern part Littleborough. turbines. The proposed development of Greater Manchester, would appear as a horizontal extension to south of Rochdale this existing wind farm. The motorway corridor would be a more prominent feature and only limited change to the background of the transient views available from fast-moving vehicles would be available. Views would be intermittently screened by highway planting, infrastructure and landform. Visual effects would not be significant. A58 Road running broadly Scout Moor; Crook 9, 19 & 38 Majority of length between Road is largely urban and as such, built east-west along the Hill; Reaps Moss edge of Bury and Blackstone development would screen the majority of Roch valley and Edge (approx 18.3km) views northwards. Clear views would be connecting the centres available from Blackstone Edge in the of Todmorden, context of other wind farms, including Rochdale, Bury and Scout Moor and other urban development Bolton. and pylons visible to the west. Visual effects would not be significant due to the intermittent nature of views and the relationship of the site to the existing Scout Moor turbines. CPL PAGE 2 Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Route Description Other Existing Viewpoints Theoretical Visibility of the Commentary Developments on/ near Rooley Moor turbines Theoretically Visible route (approx.) A671 Road running north from Scout Moor; Crook 23 & 24 Majority of length between Most of the route runs through built-up Rochdale town centre, Hill; Reaps Moss; southern edge of Rochdale areas which would restrict visibility. through Whitworth and Todmorden Moor; and Whitworth (approx Transient clear views would be available Bacup to Burnley Hameldon Hill; 8.25km). from some locations in Whitworth, through Hyndburn Deerplay Moor to Bacup gaps in buildings. Longer views would be (approx 6.9km) available from the more elevated stretch of road on Deerplay Moor. Visual effects from the route would not be significant due to the intermittent nature of views from urban areas or the development being seen as an extension to the existing Scout Moor wind farm from the more elevated section of road near Deerplay Moor. A680 Road running north-west Scout Moor; 34 Majority of length between Approximately half the length of the road from Rochdale towards Hyndburn; Rochdale and A56 (approx runs through the suburbs of Rochdale and Haslingden Crook Hill 8.5km) built development would screen the majority of views northwards. Any clear views would always be experienced in the context of the existing Scout Moor turbines which would be closer to the traveller and hence more prominent. The proposed turbines would typically be viewed ‘within’ and to the rear of the existing turbines. Visual effects would not be significant. CPL PAGE 3 Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Route Description Other Existing Viewpoints Theoretical Visibility of the Commentary Developments on/ near Rooley Moor turbines Theoretically Visible route (approx.) A681 Road running east-west Scout Moor; 26 (but Majority of length between Through the Rossendale valley built through Rossendale to Crook Hill; elevated Haslingden and Todmorden development south of the road would Todmorden Reaps Moss; significantly Moor (approx 12.25km) screen most views. Clearer views would above road be available from the eastern edge of Todmorden Moor; level) Bacup and from Todmorden Moor, but this Hyndburn would be in the context of the wind farms at Todmorden Moor and Reaps Moss located adjacent to the route and in the immediate foreground of the views available. The Rooley Moor turbines would be seen as an extension of the existing Scout Moor to the south-west in oblique views from this route.. Visual effects would not be significant. Pennine National Trail running Scout Moor; 1, 2, 9 &11 Approx 10.7km from The proposed turbines would be visible in Way north-south along/ close Crook Hill; Blackstone Edge to Stoodley long views westwards from this route to the summit of the Reaps Moss; Pike. Elsewhere patches of which runs across elevated open main Pennine Chain visibility from high points moorland to the east of the site. The Todmorden Moor; turbines would always be viewed in the Hyndburn; context of the existing turbines at Scout Hameldon Hill; Moor and also those at Crook Hill, Reaps Coal Clough; Moss, Todmorden Moor and Coal Clough, Ovenden Moor which would generally be closer and more prominent than the Rooley Moor turbines. In this context, visual effects of the proposed development would not be significant. CPL PAGE 4 Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Route Description Other Existing Viewpoints Theoretical Visibility of the Commentary Developments on/ near Rooley Moor turbines Theoretically Visible route (approx.) Pennine National Trail running Scout Moor; 8, 14, 18, 21, Approx 8.3km length east of Visibility of the proposed turbines would Bridleway north-south but following Crook Hill; 22, 29, & 37 Littleborough. vary from different stretches of this route. a different route to the Reaps Moss; Approx 4.2km south-east of From an approximately 1.8km stretch to Pennine Way. Crosses Todmorden Moor; Whitworth. the south-east of Whitworth, and from an Rooley Moor approximately 7.5km stretch running Hyndburn; Approx. 17.25km from Catley Lane Head to Deerplay Moor. southwards from Cowpe and across Hameldon Hill; Elsewhere patches of visibility Rooley Moor (through the development Coal Clough; from high points site), and from the vicinity of viewpoint 22 Ovenden Moor at Broadley Fold, the presence of the turbines would give rise to significant visual effects. The proposed turbines would be an unmistakable new presence in views from these stretches of the route, which would disrupt the balance of features within the existing view. Elsewhere, the proposed turbines would be less prominent and would be experienced in the context of the existing Scout Moor turbines and often other existing wind farms in the foreground and middle-ground. As such, visual effects would not be significant from these more distant stretches of the route. CPL PAGE 5 Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Route Description Other Existing Viewpoints Theoretical Visibility of the Commentary Developments on/ near Rooley Moor turbines Theoretically Visible route (approx.) Burnley Promoted recreational Scout Moor; 14 Patches of visibility from There would be no views of the proposed Way route through Burnley Reaps Moss; Hameldon (east of Burnley) turbines from the majority of the route, Borough Todmorden Moor; and Hameldon Hill (south- which lies outside the blade tip ZTV of the west of Burnley) proposed turbines. From Hameldon and Hyndburn; Hameldon Hill, the proposed turbines Hameldon Hill; would be visible to the south in the context Coal Clough of six existing wind farms also visible, four of which would be closer than the proposed turbines. Visual effects resulting from the presence of the Rooley Moor turbines would not be significant. CPL PAGE 6 Rooley Moor Wind Farm Environmental Statement Route Description Other Existing Viewpoints Theoretical Visibility of the Commentary Developments on/ near Rooley Moor turbines Theoretically Visible route (approx.) Rochdale Promoted recreational Scout Moor; 6, 8, 9, 21, Majority of route (approx From those stretches of the route south Way route through Rochdale Crook Hill; 22, 34, 36, 37 62.75km). Valleys east of and east of Rochdale, the proposed Borough Reaps Moss; Littleborough outside ZTV turbines would be visible in the context of (approx 10.75km) existing turbines at Scout Moor and Crook Todmorden Moor; Hill and also extensive urban Hyndburn development. The presence of the proposed turbines would have little influence upon the view and visual effects would not be significant. From the stretch of the route north-west of Rochdale, close to the A680, the proposed turbines would be viewed to the rear of the existing Scout Moor turbines and would appear as a limited extension to this existing development. Again, visual effects would not be significant.