Redland Wind Energy Project
Scoping Report
Report OSE/3500
Orkney Sustainable Energy Ltd
6 North End Road Stromness Orkney KW16 3AG
Scoping Report Redland Wind Energy Project December 2010
Redland Wind Energy Project
Scoping Report
Report OSE/3500
December 2010
Project Developer:
Redland Renewables Ltd
Scoping Assessment:
Richard Gauld BSc(Hons) IEng MInstMC Dip.GeoSci Dip.DesInn
Orkney Sustainable Energy Ltd 6 North End Road Stromness Orkney KW16 3AG
Telephone 01856 850054 Email [email protected] Web www.orkneywind.co.uk
Richard Gauld is a Member of the Institute of Measurement and Control, is a professional design engineer, and is registered as an Incorporated Engineer with the Engineering Council of Great Britain.
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Redland Wind Energy Project
Report OSE/3500
Scoping Report
This report is a scoping study into the potential for a small locally owned wind energy project in Mainland Orkney. The report identifies the possible location, planning constraints, ecological constraints, geomorphology, the wind regime, land use, grid issues, visual impact assessment, and community ownership issues, with an appendix on potential archaeological impacts. Appended to the report are a set of plans, maps and photomontage images.
Chapter 1 Location identification, grid issues, and planning constraints
Chapter 2 Land use, geomorphology and hydrology constraints
Chapter 3 Ecological constraints
Chapter 4 Landscape and visual impact assessment
Chapter 5 Socio-economics and community governance
Appendix: Preliminary Site Drawings, Maps and Photomontage Images
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CONTENTS SUMMARY 6 1 PLANNING AND DESIGN 7 1.1 PROPOSED LOCATION 8 1.2 WIND ASSESSMENT 9 1.3 CARBON EMISSION AVOIDANCE 9 1.4 ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS 10 1.5 PROVISIONAL DESIGN STATEMENT 12 1.6 WIND TURBINE SELECTION 13 1.7 NATIONAL PLANNING CONTEXT 15 1.8 ORKNEY STRUCTURE PLAN CONTEXT 16 1.9 ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN 17 1.10 OIC PLANNING GUIDANCE 20 1.11 GRID ISSUES 21 1.12 POTENTIAL DISTURBANCE FROM NOISE 21 1.14 POTENTIAL DISTURBANCE FROM SHADOW FLICKER 22 1.15 POTENTIAL RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS INTERFERENCE 23 2 GEOLOGY, GEOMORPHOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY 24 2.1 GEOLOGY 24 2.2 HYDROLOGY 24 2.3 GEOMORPHOLOGY – RISK OF PEAT SLIDE 25 2.4 LAND USE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS 26 3 ECOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS 27 3.1 BACKGROUND 27 3.2 SITE CONTEXT 27 3.3 POTENTIAL IMPACTS 28 3.4 PROPOSED MAMMAL SURVEY 28 4 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 29 4.1 VISUAL IMPACT UPON THE LANDSCAPE 29 4.2 ZONE OF THEORETICAL VISIBILITY 29 4.3 IMPACT ON VISUAL RESOURCE 29 4.4 VISUAL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY 30 4.5 CUMULATIVE IMPACT 33 5 SOCIO-ECONOMICS AND COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE 34 5.1 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 34 5.2 GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY 34 5.3 CONCLUSIONS 35 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 36 Appendix Plans, Maps and Preliminary Photomontage Images
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Summary
The Redland Wind Energy Project is a privately owned community windfarm being developed by Redland Renewables Ltd, a local company. Orkney Sustainable Energy have been contracted to complete a Scoping Report on behalf of the developer.
It is proposed that up to three wind turbines will be installed on elevated land above Rendall and Firth in the West Mainland of Orkney. The preliminary turbine chosen for the development is the Enercon E44 900kW. The turbine model may change, subject to availability, however for the purposes of this report the E44 has been used to show a typical machine for the development. The electricity generated will be traded to meet the requirements of the Renewables Order (Scotland) 2002, and it is expected that the project will connect into the Orkney grid under an active network management system; the island grid is only a short distance form the turbine locations. The project is a locally-owned community renewable energy investment scheme, as promoted by the Scottish Government in Planning Policy SPP6, with the Firth and Rendall communities invited to become participants.
As a result of desk-based design studies, the project has been designed around three 70m tall turbines to give a maximum output of 2.7MW, with the project designed to fit within the landscape and to have minimal impact upon neighbours. Preliminary landscape and visual impact studies have been completed, and it was determined that the turbines present a simple, clear relationship to the landform and other existing features, and have largely low to moderate levels of significance. Potential ecological impacts have been considered, including a habitat survey, a mammal survey, a breeding bird survey, and an assessment of any protected species near the site. Initial assessment on the archaeology of the site and surrounding area has been completed and analysis includes a geological and hydrogeological survey, photomontage modelling, a description of the wind turbines, and detailed maps of the development.
It was concluded that a small wind energy project is feasible for this part of Orkney, with low impacts upon ecology and the local community. Strong social and economic benefits can be achieved by constructing the Redland project, along with the associated climate change benefits resulting from renewable energy production.
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1 Planning and Design Orkney is an important area for wind energy development; a number of projects have been established in the islands , primarily as cluster developments on hilltop and moorland locations. The Redland project continues this pattern of development and has been designed as a three turbine project located in the moorland hills above the farm of Redland, to avoid impacts upon neighbours, while providing diversification required for the commercial viability of the farmland, along with strong economic benefits to the local community. The project shall also provide a further contribution to the development of clean energy as encompassed within government policy.
Orkney Sustainable Energy were approached by the farmer in 2003 leading to preliminary design and initial consultation. Once the MoD, the Civil Aviation Authority and Kirkwall Airport confirmed that they had no objections, detailed ecological and environmental studies began, resulting in the detailed design and development of a large single wind turbine in 2007, located on the flat land between Redland farm and the Wide Firth. Due to the prominent location this project was not felt to be acceptable by the local authority, and accordingly was refused planning consent.
This new project has been designed around the Enercon E44 wind turbine, and although the actual turbine model may alter nearer the time of construction, this machine represents the maximum scale; the site layout and all modelling has used a 45m turbine tower height and a rotor diameter of 50m. The blade length is actually 21m, allowing for a 2m diameter hub. A grid connection application has been accepted by Scottish and Southern Energy, and it is intended that the turbines will operate under the proposed Regional Power Zone. There are 11 kV and 33 kV electricity transmission lines in the area, and the turbines will connect to the local distribution system via a switchgear building above Redland.
This revised location has been selected to minimise visual and noise impacts upon the immediate neighbours to the development, while at the same time ensuring low ecology impacts. The other major constraint in the West Mainland of Orkney is the need to ensure minimal indirect impacts upon the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site; the Redland project cannot be seen from any of the monuments, nor can it be seen from anywhere in the intervening landscape.
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This part of the report identifies the proposed site for the wind turbine development and the activities involved in delivering and constructing the wind energy project at Redland. The assessment includes planning constraints in Orkney, a description of the site and identification of grid connection locations. The aspects considered include civil engineering, transport of the equipment, installation of the wind turbines, operation and maintenance of the project and eventual decommissioning of the turbines.
1.1 Proposed location
The site proposed for the development is on elevated rough grazing above Redland farm, in the Firth area of Mainland Orkney. Up to three wind turbines could be positioned on moorland, with the positions chosen to be on hard, stable underlying bedrock. The grid references are as listed below, Table 1, with a note of the base elevation and overall height of each installation above sea level, including maximum wind turbine blade tip height. There will be a requirement for an external switchgear housing with approximate dimensions of 6m by 4m by 3m, located next to the overhead cables.
There are two sets of overhead wires travelling across Redland. Either the 11kV or the 33kV system will be used; the 11kV system is the main supply for all farms and domestic properties in the area and 33kV is used for the inter island grid. The switchgear house will consist of a building appropriate for the location, and is a low profile structure located within an area of woodland next to the 33kV inter-island grid.
Turbine Easting Northing Position Tower top Maximum elevation elevation elevation T1 E336500 N1017295 130m 175m 200m T2 E336415 N1017095 119m 164m 189m T3 E336415 N1016680 121m 166m 191m Substation E366665 N1016950 90m -- --
Table 1 Provisional turbine locations and heights
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1.2 Wind assessment
Extensive wind measurement has not been conducted for the Redland project. It will likely be necessary to conduct a wind monitoring programme at some stage in order to clarify the resource; funders and the turbine supply company will require this information to quantify annual mean wind speed, turbulence intensity, air flow roughness and to confirm that separation of wind flow does not occur. Turbine manufacturers require wind analysis to ensure that their product will operate correctly in the location, and wind measurement has become necessary in determining the appropriate classification of the wind turbines.
For the purposes of this study preliminary wind resource has been assessed using NOABL , the national wind speed database, www.bwea.com . The mean annual windspeed at this part of Orkney is predicted to be 20 mph at a height of 45m above ground. Assuming this mean windspeed, three 900kW wind turbines located on this site will have a capacity factor of around 45% and will produce around 10,000 MWh of renewable electricity per annum, equivalent to the domestic requirements of 2000 households, given an average annual domestic consumption of 5 MWh per annum. (DUKES) .
When considering the classification of wind turbines, this site appears to be a class 1 location, requiring machines that have been built to cope with stronger windspeeds.
1.3 Carbon emission avoidance
Electricity produced from renewable resources avoids the emission of pollution, and the production of 10,000 MWh of wind electricity is projected to avert the production of around
5000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum (Carbon Trust), . Based on a carbon emission rate of
0.489kg CO 2 per kWh of generation (www.electricityinfo.org) , a 2.7 MW project in this part of
Orkney will avoid the production of the following emissions (Boyle 1996) :
• CO 2 4890 tonnes per annum (equivalent to 1200 tonnes of carbon per annum)
• SO 2 150 to 200 tonnes per annum
• NO x 36 to 50 tonnes per annum
CO 2 emissions have been identified as the primary cause of climate change, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions are a cause of acid rain.
Over a twenty year lifetime the project will avoid the production of 100,000 Tonnes of CO 2.
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1.4 Alternative locations
Preliminary consultation on the proposed wind farm has been favourable. In summary, there were no objections from the statutory consultees, however there were concerns from RSPB and SNH who advised that there was the potential for impact upon SPA and SSSI protected species in the more elevated parts of the farm. Positioning the turbines along the uppermost ridgeline would also make them visible from Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site (WHS). A visual and landscape assessment and a detailed archaeology survey have been completed, resulting in the relocation of the development off the highest land..
The following organisations were consulted at an early stage in the development:
• Orkney Islands Council, Development and Protective Services • Orkney Islands Council, Environmental Health • Orkney Islands Archaeological Trust • Firth Community Council • Historic Scotland, Edinburgh • RSPB, Orkney Office • SNH, Orkney and Shetland Regional Office • SEPA; Dingwall Office • Highlands and Islands Airports, Inverness and Kirkwall • Ministry of Defence, Sutton Coldfield • Civil Aviation Authority, London • National Air Traffic Services, London • Radio Communications Agency, London • Scottish Executive, Communications and Information Services Division, Edinburgh • Northern Constabulary, radiocommunications, Inverness
Wind energy development has been encouraged in Orkney, however there are constraints to be considered. The wind turbines should not be a nuisance to neighbours and should be far enough away from properties to minimise noise and shadow effects; a background noise measurement programme was conducted. Other constraints to consider are impact upon ecological concerns, mainly birds, and to ensure that any archaeological concerns are identified and impact avoided. The installation of an instrument landing system at Kirkwall airport and the installation of an array of radio mast around the county also have implications on wind turbine siting, to ensure that the any impact on radio systems is avoided.
The main body of the Orkney West Mainland Moorland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), itself a component part of the larger Orkney Mainland Moors Special Protection Area (SPA), lies about 500m to the west of the proposed development site. In addition the lowland
OSE/3500 10 Scoping Report Redland Wind Energy Project December 2010 mosses are sites of local importance for nature conservation (SLINCs). The edges of two different mosses lie at distances of about 1km to the east of the turbine positions.
The West Mainland Moorlands SSSI and the Orkney Mainland Moors SPA are both primarily designated for their breeding birds. The key SPA species are Red-throated Diver, Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl. Other important species are the Arctic and Great Skuas, which both have very limited breeding distributions in the UK, and scarcer birds of prey such as Merlin and Peregrine.
Orkney is rich in prehistoric monuments and landscapes, with the key Neolithic site of Maes Howe approximately 6km south-west of the turbine site. The wind turbines will not be seen from the WHS monuments due to the barrier effect of the nearby hills, however Historic Scotland have provided information on a range of other scheduled monuments in the environs of the site, along with advice that the impact on the settings of these monuments should be explored using zone of visual influence maps and photomontages.
The archaeological study concluded that there is the possibility that groundbreaking work in the Redland area may result in the uncovering of unknown archaeological remains. It is therefore acknowledged that any work will only occur under an archaeological watching brief. No sites or features were found in the turbine area, however this part of Redland is overlain by peat. Peat development in Orkney has largely taken place since the Neolithic climatic optimum 5,000 years ago, so peat deposits can overlay or contain archaeological features without showing any surface trace. Although no sites are apparent within this part of the Redland, the nearby presence of other archaeological features in the area suggests that there may be unidentified sites. This unpredictability means that a watching brief shall be required should any groundbreaking activity occur in this area.
OFCOM, the radiocommunications agency, has been consulted; there are communications links to the east of the area, and 200m wide transmission corridors for these microwave links will be required. The relevant telecoms companies have been consulted and the turbine positions have adequate clearance.
The Ministry of Defence and the aviation authorities have been consulted using the standard Safeguarding procedure; no concerns have been raised.
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1.5 Provisional design statement
The Redland Wind Energy Project has been designed by identifying all ecological, historic, social and technical constraints in the area, then completing a range of detailed environmental studies to ensure that the site is generally suitable for a wind energy development. Through an iterative process the turbine positions have been adjusted to produce an optimum layout, considering the view from a variety of locations around the site. Given the proximity of other wind energy projects around this part of Orkney, and the possibility of cumulative and sequential impacts, the development site has avoided neighbours.
The wind turbines are to be positioned at an elevation of 120m, on the moorland hills between Finstown and Norseman; this is the same elevation as the nearby Hammars Hill development, to the north of Redland. The wind turbine locations consist of areas of hardstanding nominally 25m by 35m, with the turbine foundations located below ground level. A temporary trench will be excavated to accommodate the high voltage and telecommunications cabling, following the existing tracks and fences.
The site cabling is underground, connecting to the grid at a switchgear building, erected within the woodland above Redland Farm. A grid application has been accepted by Scottish and Southern Energy, allowing the turbine to operate within the restricted Regional Power Zone proposed for Orkney.
To avoid shadow flicker nuisance, planning guidelines recommended that wind energy projects should consider the relative geometry of the turbine position and the movement of the sun, and should be positioned to a minimum of 10 rotor diameters from neighbouring properties, where possible (PAN 45) . The Redland turbines have been positioned to avoid shadow impact by ensuring large neighbour clearances; PAN45 recommendations are achieved.
Noise from wind turbines disperses naturally with distance and reaches acceptable levels at a distance of around 450m. The Redland wind turbine noise levels are low, due to the long distances involved, and produce 35dB(A) at the nearest neighbours, within planning guidelines. The noise levels at the properties adjacent to the development are higher, however all the property owners have a financial involvement in the project, and the noise limit is permitted to be 45dB(A) under national guidance.
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The layout has been chosen to provide a linear appearance when viewed from the east, and the hills to the west and south of the site are very effective barriers; there are very few locations, if any, to the west of Redland where the project can be seen.
1.6 Wind turbine selection
A range of alternative wind turbine models has been considered, with figure 1 showing the different turbine sizes built and consented in Orkney. It is intended that the project should attempt to maximise generation within the identified constraints, with ecological and visual impact, noise impact, transportation and grid capacity all important issues. The Enercon E70 has been deployed at Flotta and Burgar Hill, the E44 is in place on Hammars Hill, Westray and Dounby, the NM92 operates on Burgar Hill, and the V52 is the Burray turbine.
Enercon E70 Vestas V52; Enercon E44 NM92 2.75MW; 46 blade / 70m tower 35m blade / 57m tower 26m blade / 45m tower 22m blade / 45m tower B:T ratio = 0.657 B:T ratio = 0.614 B:T ratio = 0.577 B:T ratio = 0.488
100m
75m
50m
25m
Fig ure 1 – Wind Turbine Dimensions
Vestas E44 –900kW and E70 – 2.3MW
Enercon are a long established German manufacturer of wind turbines, and are concentrating on the onshore market. Enercon have recently constructed a windfarm of E70 turbines at Boyndie near Banff, and are looking to establish a presence throughout Scotland, including Orkney. By using advanced technology, they have produced machines which are relatively more efficient for the size of the rotor, with the 900kW turbine having a 22m blade rather than the more typical 25 to 26m, and the E70 has a 33m blade rather than the 38m blade of the Nordex N80. Noise levels are also low due to the gearbox-less design and different blade geometry, and has been set at 100 dB(A) at 8m/s wind speed. These machines have an upwind design, and are IEC class 1A.
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Vestas V52 – 850kW Vestas has a range of machines available rated from 850 kW to 3 MW. The Vestas V52 is rated at 850 kW and is part-manufactured in Scotland. This machine is an upwind design, with a 52m diameter rotor, and variable operational speeds of 14 to 30 rpm. Tower height for the V52 is 44m to 55m. Noise levels are low, and can be set at 100 dB(A) at a windspeed of 8 m/s. These turbines are IEC class 1A and can be recommended for sites where the annual mean windspeed reaches 10 m/s. They also recommended for locations requiring low noise emissions and good power quality; the V52 was chosen for the Burray wind energy project.
Nordex N80 – 2.5MW Nordex are a German/Danish company producing a small range of wind turbines between 1.3 and 2.5MW, primarily for the onshore market. The N80 is a 2.5MW wind turbine, and by allowing the machine to run slightly faster than competing machines they have been able to use a 40m blade rather than the more typical 42m. This machine is an upwind design, with an 80m diameter rotor, a tower height of 60m, variable speed operation of 15 to 20 rpm. Noise levels are slightly higher than other equivalent machines due to the higher rotational speeds. This turbine is in operation at Burgar Hill.
NEG-MiconNM92 – 2.75MW The largest wind turbine operating onshore in the UK is the NEG Micon NM92, a 2.75MW wind turbine. A 46m blade is used and although considered, the scale of this machine was deemed to be too large for this type of prominent location, due to access difficulties and visual impact. This machine is an upwind design, with a 92m diameter rotor and a tower height of 60m. The prototype of this turbine is in operation at Burgar Hill, with further versions running on Sanday.
Selection process
Each wind turbine has its own specific application. The Vestas V52 is part-manufactured in Scotland, and is both very robust and quiet. The Enercon E44 and E70 turbines are also quiet and robust and each has a good installed cost per kW. The Vestas V52 or the similar Gamesa G52 turbines remain a possibility for the site. Given the design requirements of maximum power production within the existing HV network, while avoiding major road construction, reducing visual impact, and avoiding significant noise impacts on neighbours, the Enercon E44 was identified as being the most appropriate at this time. The Enercon E44 provides power similar to that of the Vestas V52 along with a 15% reduction in rotor size, and is a good fit and is in proportion with the landscape.
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1.7 National planning context National Guidance The project has been designed and planned using the recommendations and advice contained within Best Practice Guidelines for Wind Energy Developments (BWEA) , Scottish Planning
Policy SPP6: Renewable Energy (Scottish Government 2007), Planning Advice Notes PAN 45:
Renewable Energy Technologies (Scottish Government 2002), PAN 56: Planning and Noise (Scottish
Government 1999), PAN 58: Environmental Impact Assessment (Scottish Government 1999) and PAN 68:
Design Statements (Scottish Government 2003) , the SNH Guidelines on the Environmental Impact of
Projects (SNH Publications), the DTI Final Report on the Assessment of Noise from projects (ETSU
1996) and the Guidelines on Wind Energy and Aviation Interests from the Defence and Civil
Aviation Interests Working Group (ETSU 2002). The project has also considered Scottish Planning Policy 15: Planning for Rural Development, and PAN 73: Rural Diversification
(Scottish Government 2006) .
Diversification The overarching aim of the Scottish Government, as detailed in the above policies and advice notes is to have a prosperous rural economy, with a stable or increasing population that is more balanced in terms of age structure, and where rural communities have reasonable access to good quality services. SPP15 and PAN73 in particular indicate that planning authorities should take a more welcoming stance to development in rural Scotland and proactively enable opportunities for development in sustainable locations, and in addition rural diversification should be embraced to help businesses and farmers start new enterprises in appropriate circumstances and at an appropriate scale; “There are many activities that make a valuable contribution to the rural economy that are less immediately obvious such as…quarrying, waste disposal, hydro-electric schemes and wind turbines ” (PAN73). .
SPP6 - Targets In 2007 the Scottish Government published SPP6, showing planning authorities how they should manage the process of encouraging and approving renewable energy proposals when preparing development plans and determining planning applications. The Scottish Ministers have set a target of generating 40% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The importance of using sustainable energy from renewable sources will continue to increase as a result of global imperatives to tackle climate change and the need to ensure secure and diverse energy supplies. Scottish Ministers will continue to support renewable generation technologies to enable Scotland to realise its considerable renewable energy potential.
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SPP6 - Local Investment The role of local communities and renewables is discussed in paragraphs 18 and 19 of SPP6; “There is potential, particularly in rural areas, for communities to invest in ownership of renewable energy projects or to develop their own local projects for local benefit. Small scale wind farms, such as those proposed by local communities, may be able to supply electricity to the local distribution network and more widely on the transmission network.” SPP6 then goes on: “Planning authorities should put in place positive policies to enable communities to develop such initiatives in an environmentally acceptable manner.” Local investment opportunities are further discussed in paragraph 19: “ A range of benefits are often voluntarily provided by some commercial developers to communities in the vicinity of renewable energy developments. These can include Community Trust Funds which support a variety of projects, including energy conservation initiatives, within the local community or opportunities for local communities, as a whole, to invest in developments with local long term environmental, social and/or economic benefits.”
1.8 Orkney Structure Plan context
In December 2001 Orkney Islands Council published the Orkney Structure Plan written statement (Orkney Islands Council 2001) . The Structure Plan sets out the strategic framework for the development of land in the county over a ten year period. In section 2.3, the strategy explains that one of the key underlying principles is that of sustainable development, encompassing social, economic and environmental goals, and states that planning decisions should favour the most sustainable option, and promote development which safeguards and enhances the long term needs of the economy, society and the environment.
The provision of renewable energy is discussed in section 10: “ To encourage renewable energy developments where environmentally acceptable”, in section 10.17 the strategy indicates that “…there is considerable potential in Orkney to harness various sources of renewable energy, including wind, wave and tidal power.”, and in section 10.19: “ Whilst the renewable energy resource is undoubtedly significant, albeit under utilised, its development must be reconciled with the need to safeguard the environment, and with the capacity of the electricity grid system to accommodate additional capacity ”.
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The following is the relevant extract from the Structure Plan:
1.9 Orkney Islands Council Local Plan
The Local Plan, approved in February 2002, favourably considers renewable energy facilities provided there are no significant adverse impacts on nature conservation areas, the landscape character, to neighbours, archaeological, historic or cultural interests and no significant impact upon aircraft activity and other telecommunication interests. Policy LP/U7 sets out how the impact of wind power should be considered in Orkney, and the following is the relevant extract:
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1.10 OIC Planning Guidance
Orkney Islands Council have produced a set of guidelines for developers of renewable energy projects, with draft supplementary planning guidance published in 2005, further revised in October 2006 and January 2007, then Final Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (Onshore Wind Energy Development) published in 2008. The final draft of the Planning Guidance does make reference to local and community ownership.
The Redland Wind Energy Project can be considered a locally owned community development: “ In regard to larger scale projects, developments can be financed in a variety of ways, including commercial enterprise and locally owned or community based partnerships. Whether as individual installations or as clusters involving some form of community involvement through an equity share or a community share in a number of turbines which make up a larger commercial development, larger forms of production offer communities, cooperatives, small businesses and local residents the opportunity to harness local energy, and generate electricity whilst protecting their own environment and stimulating their local economy. Community based developments can prove useful in rural development, as they can help alleviate fuel poverty when combined with affordable housing schemes, can provide extra income, and provide employment opportunities.” (OIC Planning Guidance)
In the context of the guidelines, the Redland Wind Energy Project has no significant adverse effects on the natural heritage and biodiversity of Orkney, has little impact upon the landscape character of Orkney, has avoided significant visual impact by ensuring the turbines are of the correct scale for the site and has low impacts upon neighbours. The project has avoided significant adverse impacts upon the historic environment, has avoided impact upon hydrological and geological features, has avoided impact upon and has been located well away from Kirkwall Airport, has avoided ancillary development by using the existing access tracks, and has ensured that all site cabling is buried. It is recognised that wind turbines are temporary structures that will be removed at the completion of the project; a 20 year operational window is required. The Developers also fully recognise the benefits of partnership and community involvement, and consequently have proposed a structure of local community investment, as recommended in SPP6. It is felt that the project fits well within the aims and vision of Orkney Islands Council, and is a good example of both a sustainable development, and important rural diversification.
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1.11 Grid issues
There are various grid systems than run through this part of Orkney. Projects of the scale of the Redland development should connect into the local 33kV system, and in this instance the 33kV system travels through the woodland below the turbine site. The Redland project can be physically connected into any part of this 33kV cable, with a switchgear building located as near to the cable as possible. The grid in this area is generally quite limited, and in 2009 Orkney became a Registered Power Zone, and an innovative Active Network Management scheme was put in place to allow generation within the limits of the system; the Redland project will connect to the grid under the control of this scheme.
1.12 Potential disturbance from noise
Noise is generated by turbine blades passing through the air as the hub rotates, along with mechanical noise from the gearbox and generator. Noise from the turbine blades is reduced by good design, particularly of the blade tip. These sound levels are measured in decibels (dB) and are a measure of the sound pressure levels; a 1dB change in noise level is just perceptible, a 3dB change in noise level is clearly perceptible and a 10dB change in noise level is heard as a doubling or halving of the perceived level. Environmental noise measurement is made in dB(A) which more fully represents sounds heard by the human ear. Table 2 shows the predicted impact at the neighbours to the Redland project along with other indicative environmental noise levels.
Source/Activity Indicative noise level dB (A) Threshold of hearing 0 Rural night-time background 20-40 Redland wind farm 35-40 Quiet bedroom 35 Busy road at 5km 35-45 Car at 65 km/h at 100m 55 Busy general office 60 Conversation 60 Truck at 50kmh at 100m 65 City traffic 90 Pneumatic drill at 7m 95 Jet aircraft at 250m 105 Threshold of pain 140
Table 2 – Indicative noise levels in the environment
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The Planning Advice Note on Renewable Energy Technologies, PAN 45 provides information on noise from wind turbines. Paragraph 65 states: "Well designed wind turbines are generally quiet in operation". The document goes on to discuss the sources of noise and the effects of increasing wind speed on wind turbine noise and background noise. It notes that the report “ The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms ” ETSU-R-97 , describes a framework for the measurement of wind farm noise and gives indicative noise levels thought to offer a reasonable degree of protection to windfarm neighbours, without placing unreasonable restrictions on wind farm development or adding unduly to the costs and administrative burdens on wind farm developers or planning authorities
The impact of noise from the wind turbines is not significant. The noise levels from the Enercon E44 is adjustable, and can be set at a range of levels from 100 dB(A) to 104 dB(A). This value decreases with distance from the turbine and with atmospheric absorption, and when considering the impact from a windfarm, the noise levels from individual wind turbines must be combined. The nearest neighbours are over 500m from the nearest wind turbine, accordingly measurement of background noise levels is not required and a simplified assessment is sufficient. Impact has been assessed using a freely available programme produced by Orkney Sustainable Energy, at http://www.orkneywind.co.uk/turbine-noise.html and the predicted sound levels at the nearest neighbour from the individual turbines are between 30 and 34 dB(A), giving a combined noise level of 35 dB(A), the recommended level for residential locations.
1.14 Potential disturbance from shadow flicker Under certain combinations of geographical position, time of day and time of year, the sun may pass behind the rotor of a wind turbine and cast a shadow over neighbouring properties. This would normally occur in late evening or early morning when the sun is at low elevations. When the wind turbine blades rotate the shadow appears to flick on and off, creating an effect known as shadow flicker, and is noticeable only in buildings when viewed through narrow window openings.
Planning advice note PAN45 recommends 10 rotor diameter separations between the wind turbines and the nearby dwellings to avoid shadow nuisance. The Redland project achieves this recommendation by a large margin; 10 rotor diameters is 440m and all neighbours are over 500m from any wind turbine; no further assessment will be required.
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1.15 Potential radiocommunications interference
When a wind turbine is positioned near to a radar, radio, television, or microwave transmitter system, it may reflect some of the electromagnetic radiation in such a way that a reflected signal interferes with the original signal as it arrives at the receiver; this can cause the received signal to become distorted and lead to interference. The extent of any electromagnetic interference caused by a wind turbine, beyond positioning, depends mainly on the blade materials and the surface shape of the tower. Electromagnetic interference may also occur if a wind turbine is close to a radio communications service. Consultation with the Ministry of Defence, the Civil Aviation Authority, and National Air Traffic Services has taken place, and no concerns have been raised.
OFCOM, the radiocommunications agency, indicated that there are microwave links transmitting from Wideford Hill and Keelylang. The clearance between these communications links and the windfarm is over 1000m, and the project is well outwith the recommended distances; the recommended clearance for wind turbines near to microwave links is 100m plus the length of blade for the turbine being considered - 125m for the Redland project. Consultation has been completed and it was determined that these radio links will not be affected.
The potential for interference with television systems has also been considered, using a service provided by the BBC, http://windfarms.kw.bbc.co.uk/rd/projects/windfarms/ . The BBC have been advised about the proposed wind turbine positions and no impact is expected. The potential for interference to television and radio systems cannot be predicted, but there is always the possibility of interference if reception in an area is generally poor. In these circumstances the blades and towers can sometimes reflect television and radio signals, producing a characteristic interference pattern. Should this interference occur, and is clearly shown to be due to the wind turbines, the owners of the affected property should be offered a digital or satellite television service. This mitigation measure has been proved at the Burgar Hill and Hammars Hill sites in Orkney, and is a relatively straightforward measure.
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2 Geology, geomorphology and hydrology
2.1 Geology
An assessment of the geology and the hydrogeological features of the area was conducted with reference to the superficial and solid geology maps produced by the British Geological Survey (BGS) and with reference to the resources provided on the Caithness geology web site; www.fettes.com/caithness . These assessments confirmed that this area is mainly underlain by Devonian Old Red Sandstone sedimentary rock.
This is a relatively homogenous area from a geological perspective, dominated by Old Red Sandstone and is a raised part of Lake Orcadie, a former lake basin dating from around 380 million years ago, that has resulted from sediment laid down on the lake bed. These sediment rocks rest on basement complexes, evident at Stromness and Yesnaby, to the west of Mainland Orkney.
Subsequent tectonic activity caused the sediments to become folded and faulted, creating a range of hills, which was then subjected to erosion and submergence; the West Mainland moorland hills are the higher remains of these hills, consisting of gently sloping Devonian rocks, known locally as Stromness and Rousay flagstone.
The solid geology of Orkney was modified by glacial action during the ice ages, the last of which reached its maximum extent 18,000 years ago. The main effects of ice movement in this area was generally to smooth out the topography and to deposit glacial till boulder clay; drainage conditions are good and there has not been any peat deposition in this area. The till deposits have resulted in good quality agricultural and grazing land, particularly over the flat plain to the east of Redland. Where the soil is located on the summit of the plateau, and where drainage has been poor, the superficial deposits have become more marshy, resulting in the poorer quality topsoil evident along the more elevated parts of the farm.
2.2 Hydrology
Annual rainfall in Orkney has been measured to be 1030mm at Kirkwall, averaged over the last thirty years. There is variation across Orkney, with the east seeing lower levels that the west, however rainfall is relatively low, largely due to the rainshadow effect of the mainland Scotland hills to the west and south.
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Sedimentary sandstone is a good aquifer when fractured, however the flat land on the summit of the hills and on the plain to the east of the turbine site has resulted in water flowing quite slowly on the surface of the land, evident by basin peat formation.
There are no significant hydrological features in the area, and there are no water crossings to consider. The fields to the east have drains, feeding into ditches towards the south and east of the site, ultimately draining into the Bay of Firth. There are lochans in the peaty area to the west of the turbine site, with the occasional accumulation of water, used by the local bird populations.
2.3 Geomorphology – Risk of Peat Slide
Peat is a biogenic deposit which when saturated consists of about 90-95% water. The organic content of the solid part of peat is very high, and is made up of the decayed remains of vegetation which has accumulated over a timescale of 100s of years. Peat depth should be measured across the site, following the route of the access track between turbines.
Analysis of BGS maps indicate that there are peat deposits at Redland. These peat deposits will likely follow the shape of the bedrock, draping over the land in a blanket covering. The slope of the hill is around 5° at the steepest, flattening out at the upper parts of the site. At the lower slopes at Redland the peat depth is likelier to be shallower, reflecting different bedrock conditions and a greater proportion of glacial till, resulting in more fertile soils.
Peat slides, bog flows and bog bursts are widespread in the uplands of the British Isles (Tomlinson and Gardiner) , and these movements are usually triggered by heavy or prolonged rainfall. The exact mechanisms of peat slide are not fully understood, but involve instability of peat deposits over a rock or mineral subsurface (Warburton et al) . Bog burst involve the rupture of the peat surface due to internal swelling, resulting in disruption of the surface (Bowes) . In contrast, peat slides are slab-like failures involving a shear failure mechanism.
Peat slides can result in significant movement of superficial deposits, and can have major impact on stream or river ecosystems. Two devastating peat movements occurred in Ireland in 2003, at Dooncarton in County Mayo, and at Derrybrien in County Galway, with both events producing widespread damage to infrastructure and ecosystems. Sites of mass peat movement share several common characteristics, all relating to hydrological processes:
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a. A peat layer overlying an impervious rock, clay or mineral base; b. A convex slope or a slope with a break of slope at the head; c. Proximity to local drainage either from seepage or groundwater flow; d. A connection between surface drainage and the peat/rock interface.
Although peatslide is not fully understood, the hydrological process which triggers the event is likely to be an increase in water flow at the interface between the peat layer and the underlying impermeable base. Analysis of recorded peat movements in the British Isles indicated that more than half occurred in the late summer months of October and
August (Warburton et al) ., suggesting that summer storms and periods of above average rainfall can trigger slides.
Slope form is also likely to influence hillside hydrology and stability. Peat slides often occur on convex slopes, however slope angle can vary considerably; a study of 18 occurrences of peat instability in the Pennines recorded slope angles of 4° to 24° (Warburton et al). .
Hydrology remains the most important issue when considering the risk of peat slide, and accordingly it is recognised that any access track should be constructed to ensure that water cannot drain into the interface between the superficial peat layers and the bedrock. The access to the site follows an existing track, and any new tracks should be aligned to ensure that it does not cut across the slope, and the construction process should ensure that water does not drain into the peat/rock interface, again to minimise the potential risk of peat slide.
2.4 Land use environmental effects
A major part of the project will be the construction of the site track and foundations, with risk of disturbance to peat based soils. It is acknowledged that detailed studies of the ground conditions at the turbine locations will be an essential part of any environmental assessment, with measurement of peat depth essential at an early stage. Foundation design is dependent upon ground conditions, with alternative structures possible. For deep peat or soil a piled foundation would be more appropriate, reducing concrete volumes while still providing a robust structure. For thin soils, the appropriate design would be to remove all soil to a depth of approximately 1m, then to construct a reinforced concrete slab around 12m x 12m on bedrock or hard strata. Carbon balance calculations will be based on the actual design and total assessment of concrete volumes.
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3 Ecological constraints 3.1 Background
The project has evolved over the last eight years, and due to the relatively high concentration of protected species on the upper slopes of the hills behind Redland, finding a suitable wind turbine location has not been easy. From an ecological perspective, the low lying land between Redland and the Bay of Firth remains an area with low risk, however the planning authority has indicated that large turbines on the low lying moorland would not be appropriate from a visual perspective. Various studies have been conducted, and regarding the upper slopes, the following studies have been competed:
• A habitat map of the turbine site and surrounding land;
• A preliminary breeding bird survey;
• Initial vantage point watches for birds overflying the turbine position, particularly Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus , Short-eared Owls Asio flammeus and Red-throated Divers Gavia stellata ;
• A search of the records held by the Orkney Biological Records Centre for the kilometre squares centred on Redland;
• Analysis of the Orkney Local Biodiversity Action Plan, 2002;
• Assessment of the West Mainland Moorlands SSSI and Orkney Mainland Moors SPA;
• Analysis of the Orkney Bird Reports, and conversations with Jim Williams, Orkney County Bird Recorder.
This analysis indicates that the area just west of the planted woodland at Redland appears to be suitable for a cluster of moderate scale wind turbines, as the main protected species appear to be using and overflying the land further to the west and north of the site.
3.2 Site Context The boundary of the Orkney Mainland Moors Special Protection Area (SPA), which overlies that of the West Mainland Moorland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), is about 500m from the turbine positions. These two designations are primarily for moorland breeding birds, the key species being Red-throated Diver, Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl. Other important birds are the Arctic and Great Skuas, which both have very limited breeding distributions in the UK, and scarcer birds of prey such as Merlin and Peregrine. Icelandic-breeding Greylag Geese winter in Orkney in increasingly high numbers, so that internationally important numbers may occur in many places around the county.
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3.3 Potential impacts The main potential impacts from an onshore wind farm are habitat loss, disturbance of birds during construction, displacement of birds from operational turbines and collision fatalities. At Redland there would be loss and disturbance to semi-natural habitats. About 0.5 ha of grazed blanket bog vegetation would be lost under turbine hard-standings and the access route, with up to a further 1 ha disturbed alongside or subject to some alteration of drainage. The disturbed or altered vegetation would remain semi-natural but would probably tend towards drier, more heathy or grassy vegetation types. Up to 0.1 ha of ungrazed trackside verges would be lost to access route widening.
Disturbance during construction would probably have a indirect effect on nesting owls and waders to the west of the turbine positions if construction were to occur in the breeding season. There could also be an indirect effect on hen harriers, since the males are often supporting more than one female, and any adverse effect on the males’ foraging during the critical early part of the season might affect the ability of several females to come into breeding condition. In the non-breeding season, when foraging harriers and owls can range much more widely, any effect would be negligible.
Displacement of birds due to the presence of the turbines themselves may affect breeding and foraging birds. This is unlikely to affect farmland foraging birds at Redland because the turbine positions are located away from the cultivated fields where flocks occur. It is also considered insignificant for foraging raptors, given the large foraging areas used by these species.
3.4 Proposed mammal survey
The aim of the survey should be to determine the presence and extent of activity of protected mammals in and around the part of Redland selected for the development. Very few mammals could occur in this part of Orkney, and the survey should look for signs of Otter and Orkney Vole, with otters protected under the European Habitats Directive:
• European Protected Species – offences include the deliberate disturbance of an animal (wherever it might be) and the destruction of, or damage to, a breeding site or resting place (intentional or unintentional).
The evaluation of mammals in ecological impact assessment is largely governed by their legal status, which does not necessarily equate to their conservation importance.
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4 Landscape and visual impact assessment
4.1 Visual impact upon the landscape
The visual impact of wind turbines in a coastal area is affected by the topography of the land and the relationship that the land has with the sea and the sky. The full landscape and visual impact should only be conducted once there is agreement on the final layout and viewpoints. To aid assessment of the visual impact of the development, a series of preliminary photomontages has been produced, appended to this report. Maps showing the Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) of the project have also been produced, showing all locations where the turbines or blades can be seen.
It was felt that the turbines should present a simple, clear relationship to the landform and other existing features; cluttered, overlapping, unbalanced and partial views have been avoided by using a simple linear layout that follows the moorland backdrop. The turbines have been positioned back from public roads, and the access has been designed to use the existing tracks where possible. The project switchgear building is located away from the turbines and the proposed location is adjacent to the access track to the south of the site, near to existing overhead cables.
4.2 Zone of Theoretical Visibility
Zone of theoretical visibility diagrams were generated using the WindFarm programme along with Ordnance Survey gridded topographic ‘Panorama’ data. This shows the full extent of visibility of the project, measured to uppermost tip height, assuming very clear weather conditions. A 25km boundary has been chosen, in accordance with the recommendations in ‘Visual Assessment of Windfarms: Best Practice. ’ though it should be considered that in very clear conditions the site may be seen from areas beyond this boundary, and similarly no account has been taken of the reduction of views through obstruction by trees and buildings, particularly from local communities. It can be seen that the ZTV is most concentrated within 5km of the site, and the turbines will not be readily viewed to the north, west and south of the site; there is no impact upon the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site.
4.3 Impact on Visual Resource
It is proposed that the significance of the impact of the development on the area should be assessed from a range of viewpoints, by considering the sensitivity of the viewpoint and the significance and magnitude of change. Each viewpoint has been graded from Negligible to
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Very High, taking into account the quality of the landscape, the value of the landscape, the presence of any discordant or prominent features, and the type and number of potential viewers. The viewpoints were selected to reflect a variety of views and to include those experienced by motorists, residents and visitors, across a range of landscape types and at varying distances.
Preliminary wireframe images and initial photomontages have been produced using the WindFarm software programme. The photographs were taken from the viewpoints on clear or slightly cloudy days to show maximum visibility. Wireframes have been used where photographs do not exist, and all wireframes and photomontages are appended to the report. Only viewpoints within the ZTV have been considered, with fourteen viewpoints established., table 3 The subsequent photomontages all have realistic images, using 40° viewing angles throughout; 90° viewing angles have not been used as this would artificially diminish turbine height. Comments on methodologies, the proposed viewpoints and resultant images are welcome.
1: Skiddy Junction 8: Bay of Isbister 2: Rendall Community Centre 9: Northwald 3: Norseman Village 10: Cuween Cairn 4: Burness House 11: Wideford Cairn 5: East of Redland 12: Old Finstown Road 6: A966 at Holland 13: Hatston Junction 7: Gorseness cemetery 14: Weyland
Table 3 – Proposed viewpoints
4.4 Visual assessment methodology
The significance of the impact of the proposed development on the landscape character has been considered by assessing the sensitivity of the landscape character and the degree or magnitude of the predicted changes to it, and by assessing the significance of the impact by means of a simple matrix which relates sensitivity to magnitude. This matrix approach has been used for a preliminary assessment of the visual impact of the development, by assessing the significance of the impact. Viewpoint sensitivity is considered, along with the magnitude of change predicted to occur at each location, and preliminary assessment of the above viewpoints suggests that the project has largely low or negligible significance.
Landscape and Visual Sensitivity: The sensitivity of the landscape and viewpoints is an indication of the capacity to absorb change. The factors used to assess sensitivity included the quality of the landscape and views, the value and importance of the landscape through national or local designations and archaeological, historical or cultural associations, the
OSE/3500 30 Scoping Report Redland Wind Energy Project December 2010 presence of discordant features, the rareness of the landscape character, the number of viewers, and the ability of the landscape to absorb change.
The grading of the landscape and visual sensitivity can thus be summarised as follows:
VERY HIGH sensitivity is used to describe an area or view with the following criteria: • The landscape and views are of very high quality - intact, coherent and harmonious; • The landscape and views are very highly valued - distinctive and considered scenically beautiful and of high importance; • The landscape contains no or very few discordant features; • It is a very rare landscape character type; • This type of development may cause major degradation to the landscape quality; • The development is seen by a very large number of viewers.
HIGH sensitivity is used to describe an area which meets the following criteria: • The landscape and views are of good quality - largely intact, coherent and harmonious; • The landscape and views are very highly valued - considered attractive and valued nationally and locally; • The landscape may contain only minor discordant or intrusive elements; • It is a moderately rare landscape character type; • The development may cause moderate degradation to the landscape quality; • The development is seen by a large number of viewers.
MODERATE sensitivity is used to describe an area which meets the following: • The landscape and views are of average quality - less intact, coherent and harmonious, • The landscape and views have lower values or valued only locally, • The landscape may contain a number of confusing, discordant or intrusive elements, • It is a moderately common landscape character type, • The landscape can absorb the development with minor degradation to values; • The development is seen by a moderate number of viewers.
LOW to NEGLIGIBLE sensitivity is used to describe an area which meets most of the following criteria: • The landscape and views are of low quality, that is despoiled or degraded; • The landscape and views are not valued locally; • The landscape may contain many confusing, discordant or intrusive elements; • It is a very common landscape character type; • The landscape could easily absorb this type of development; • The development is seen by only a very low number of viewers.
Magnitude of Change to Landscape Character: The degree or magnitude of change to the landscape character was assessed by primarily considering the location, size and scale of the turbines in relation to the size and scale of the surrounding landform. The magnitude of
OSE/3500 31 Scoping Report Redland Wind Energy Project December 2010 change also considered the extent of effects predicted by the development, the compatibility of the development within the landscape character, including a fit with the landform and the identification of any conflicts with vertical elements. The loss of key landscape features and the permanence of effects have also been assessed, along with the cumulative effect of any other adjacent wind projects in the same landscape.
Magnitude of Change to Visual Amenity: The degree of change to the visual resource was assessed by considering a range of factors. The proximity of the development, the scale and number of wind turbines and the compatibility with the exiting landscape character, visual conflicts with discordant features, the composition and balance of the development, the direction and elevation of the view, the distance over which the view is seen, the percentage of view taken up by the development, the permanence of the change and cumulative effects.
The grading of the magnitude of effect can be summarised as follows:
5:VERY HIGH magnitude is used to describe a major change to baseline conditions, resulting in complete alteration of landscape character, composition and quality. The development would dominate the view;
4:HIGH magnitude is used to describe an easily discernible and noticeable change to some aspect of the landscape character, composition and quality. The development would be conspicuous and distinct;
3:MEDIUM magnitude is used to describe a moderate, but still discernible change to some features of baseline conditions, resulting in a slight change to the landscape character, composition and quality. The development would be apparent;
2:LOW magnitude is used to describe a minor change such that the baseline conditions remain largely unchanged. The development would be inconspicuous;
1:NEGLIGIBLE magnitude is used to describe a change of such indiscernible nature that the baseline conditions remain fundamentally unchanged. The development would be scarcely visible.
0:ZERO magnitude is used when a development is not visible.
Significance is a relative term; a landscape could be highly sensitive to change, but if the magnitude of change is very low then the overall significance would only have medium effects. The significance of the impact on the landscape character brought about by the
OSE/3500 32 Scoping Report Redland Wind Energy Project December 2010 proposed development is a combination of the sensitivity of the landscape character and the magnitude of the change affecting it, and similarly the significance of the impact on the visual resource is a combination of the sensitivity of the view and the magnitude of change.
In line with the recommendations given in section 6.4 of Visual Assessment of Windfarms
(SNH) a 20-cell matrix has been created to determine the likely significance of the impact upon both the landscape character and the visual resource, with eight impact categories created, table 4. These categories are should be used to determine the overall significance of the development. Note that zero magnitude of impact results in zero significance, regardless of the sensitivity of the view, as clearly the development project cannot be seen, and accordingly zero magnitude is not included in the matrix.
5:Very High Medium/High High High/Very High Very High 4:High Medium Medium/High High High/Very High 3:Medium Low Medium Medium/High High 2:Low Negligible/Low Low Medium Medium/High 1:Negligible Negligible Negligible/Low Low Medium
Magnitude Low / Negligible Moderate High Very High Sensitivity
Table 4 – Visual impact significance matrix
4.5 Cumulative Impact
Cumulative impact is an important consideration for this part of Mainland Orkney due to the proximity of the Burgar Hill and Hammars Hill windfarms, and the potential for a revival of the Enyas Hill development. Assessment of cumulative impact shall therefore be undertaken, and will encompass maps showing cumulative zones of theoretical visibility, and will also address the sequential impact of the projects viewed from the main public roads. The are no single turbines developments in the area, and all existing projects are located on moorland hills. With the exception of the single turbine at Hatston in Kirkwall, the other Orkney projects are all island based and are at a significant distance from Redland; cumulative impacts from these island developments are negligible. Regarding the Hatston project, the main cumulative effect will be from views from within Hatston, where the Redland turbines will have low to negligible magnitude.
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5 Socio-economics and community governance
5.1 Community involvement
The Redland Wind Energy Project was initiated by the local farmer and has been designed and developed to provide environmental, economic and social benefits to the Rendall and Firth communities. A renewable energy project was considered ideal for developing the viability of the farm by providing sustainable economic diversification, and assessment of the area indicated that the site would be appropriate for a small-scale wind energy cluster.
Wind energy projects in Scotland have been mainly developer-owned, with project profits diverted from local economies. The exceptions to this have been the Burray wind energy project in Orkney, where there has been a commitment to encourage local investment in a wind energy development, and the community wind energy project on Gigha. The Redland project will follow the Burray model and is a locally-owned community renewable energy investment scheme, as promoted by the Scottish Government in Planning Policy SPP6, with the surrounding community invited to become participants.
5.2 Governance and sustainability
The Redland Wind Energy Project is a viable mechanism of rural diversification, and is to be locally owned and controlled. The project developers have taken an open approach to the development and have fully engaged with statutory consultees and environmental agencies. By fully addressing ecological and historic concerns and by adjusting the development to take into account sensitive habitats, birds, landscape and proximity to neighbours, the project developers have demonstrated good governance, and it is felt that the Redland project is a good example of sustainable development.
The Redland Wind Energy Project has been developed in accordance with the aims of the Orkney Structure Plan 2001 and the Orkney Local Plan 2002, and in the light of the Supplementary Planning Guidance for Onshore Wind Energy Development published in 2008. The project is a locally owned and privately funded wind farm, providing strong financial benefits to the local economy, and it should be noted that wind energy production remains a strong growth industry in Orkney, particularly important at a time of financial constraint.
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5.3 Conclusions
Development of a wind energy industry is predicted to have significant economic and environmental benefits for Scotland. With Orkney Islands Council committed to encouraging renewable energy developments, it is felt that the Redland project is particularly appropriate and relevant to the socio-economic development of this part of Mainland Orkney. Although the turbines are manufactured abroad, there will be additional design, civil and electrical engineering requirements, approaching one third of the total project costs. The development team will ensure that much if not all of this work is completed by local organisations. New long term employment opportunities will also arise from the project, with local support necessary for the long term operation and maintenance of the site.
This study has described a project to install a small wind farm on the elevated part of Redland farm near Finstown in Orkney. The possible range of environmental studies has been considered, with emphasis on visual impact, impact upon habitats, potential disturbance to birds, impact on archaeology, potential nuisance impact upon neighbours and pollution issues. Life-cycle analysis of the development has considered the location, the sustainability of the project and the type and size of wind turbines to be installed. The study has further addressed the environmental and socio-economic benefits of the project.
The visual impact upon the landscape has been considered and the preliminary design is a simple linear layout of three machines. Although any wind energy project involving modern wind turbines will be seen from the surrounding area, the installation of wind turbines at this location would only have visual impact on the immediate surroundings, mainly the scattered housing between Norseman Village and Finstown.
This project has been designed to provide a commercially viable wind energy development, with strong local economic benefits. The surrounding community will own the development and will ensure, as far as possible, that most if not all the project revenue is retained within the area. Constructing the Redland Wind Energy Project will give a positive message on the importance of renewable energy to this part of Orkney, demonstrating the benefits of local ownership, while at the same time allowing diversification and a more viable and sustainable use of the land.
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Redland Wind Energy Project
Appendix:
Site plans, Maps, Images and Preliminary data
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